Pleasanton racetrack, stables to close on March 25

End of live horse racing is near, uncertainty for those working at stables; Fremont approves camping ban ordinance, councilmember says state supports 'illegal criminal immigrants'

☕️MORNING BUZZ

—The end of live horse racing at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, and the entire Bay Area, is near.

First, came the closure of Golden Gate Fields in Albany last year. Then the Alameda County Fair Board attempted to resuscitate the sport for three months in Pleasanton last fall. But the last-ditch attempt to save horse racing proved futile and costly.

Wagering dollars were 50 percent below the fair board’s expectations during the meet that ended in December, leaving them on the hook for $1.9 million in operating revenue.

The Stronach Group, the powerful racing and gambling entity that owns famed Santa Anita racetrack in Southern California, is partly to blame for the fair’s poor wagering dollars. It controls not only the state’s major racetracks, but also parimutuel betting.

The racetrack’s future was cloudy after the California Authority of Racing Fairs in December voted against allowing winter-spring racing dates this year at the Pleasanton Fairgrounds.

Families currently working and living at the racetrack will also be affected by the closure. Regulatory issues with wastewater also posed a significant additional cost to operating the racetrack.

Fair Board members said they did everything possible to save the racetrack. But continuing on would risk bankrupting the fairgrounds.

“We thought we can save horse racing in Northern California,” said Alameda County Fair Boardmember Chuck Moore. “We said we’re going to save this deal. We’re not going to let Southern California take horse racing. But the finances right now do not allow us to continue from what I can see.”

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