No horse racing at Solano next year

[Travis Stone]

I'm never sure how to react to stories like this... sure, it's sad, but everyone knows deep down there is too much racing out there. Then again, when we hear quotes like the one below, I wonder who is doing anything to fix it? Is racing too naive to realize the harsh realities of its longevity?

This (elimination of horse racing) is something we've discussed for quite a while," Paluszak said. "Horse racing, in general, is in serious decline, particularly in Northern California."

Story: http://www.contracostatimes.com/news...nclick_check=1

[SlewsMyHero]

I'm saddened a little bit by this myself. I spent many a summer day at the Solano fair races in my younger days. The Northern California racing calendar will be changing quite a bit in 2010. The California State Fair is changing its dates from the traditional Labor Day period to July. There is no longer a San Mateo County Fair meet at Bay Meadows, and they still haven't moved any of Bay Meadows dates to either Santa Rosa or Pleasanton. The circuit has been in decline for a long time. They should probably take the months of December and January off in the northern part of the state. It would serve them well.

I'm going back to bed. This news is tough.

[westcoastinvader]

Originally Posted by Travis Stone

I'm never sure how to react to stories like this... sure, it's sad, but everyone knows deep down there is too much racing out there. Then again, when we hear quotes like the one below, I wonder who is doing anything to fix it? Is racing too naive to realize the harsh realities of its longevity?



Story: http://www.contracostatimes.com/news...nclick_check=1

I never attended Solano but I believe it had the reputation of being the lowest class of the California fair circuit. Because it is near Vallejo which doesn't have the best crime reputation in the first place, it didn't have the following some of the fair meets develop for being unique events.

On the positive, our local OTB here in the Bay area is packed every big racing day and nicely attended every weekend racing day.

The racing fans are around, but just not all that motivated to go distance and time to get to live racing.

Golden Gate Fields is a bay bridge crossing and traffic for a large % of people in the Oakland-San Jose-San Francisco metroplex. I probably have one of the easiest drives of most in the Bay Area and I'd probably have to allow an hour give or take of heavy freeway driving to get there most days.

Sometimes longer.

[pba1817]

California racing needs to be condensed.

Hollywood and Golden Gate's field sizes are a joke and have been for years...

Nov 25 2009- Hollywood 8 races with 64 horses entered, Golden Gate 8 races with 55 horses entered....

Nov 26 2009- Hollywood 8 races with 61 horses entered, Golden Gate 8 races with 58 horses entered...

Over the same two dates, CD has 221 horses entered(not including AE's) for 21 races..

[DerbyCat]

As much as I dislike the decline of northern California racing, the loss of Solano is not a bad thing. Most of the racing folks I know can't wait for the Solano meet to end. I don't even go to it anymore because, as Westcoastinvader said, it's not a safe area and it's not a fun racing environment. The only truly enjoyable Fair racing dates in northern California are the Pleasanton and Santa Rosa meets.