DEL MAR — The collapse of the Northern California racing circuit has led to bigger fields and larger handles for Del Mar and Santa Anita this year.
But the transition hasn’t been easy for Northern California trainers who have been forced to either move their horses south, out of state or close operations.
“It’s tougher down here, but we’re trying,” said trainer D, Wayne Baker, who was at Golden Gate Fields for 19 years before that track closed last year, triggering the final collapse of the Northern California circuit.
“The trainers and barns from Northern California have been forced to make a lot of adjustments in the past year. It’s not just us moving our horses and generally stepping up in competition. It’s also forced our workers to make some life-changing decisions. It’s affected a lot of people.”
Blaine Wright brought some of his horses south to Del Mar while moving the majority of his stock from Golden Gate Fields to his hometown of Seattle.
“This has certainly been a huge period of transition for trainers who were based in Northern California,” he said.
“Almost overnight, trainers were forced to make very tough decisions — move out of state or be in transition to rebuild with better stock to compete in Southern California. Right now, I’m trying to focus on Cal-breds because that’s where the playing field is more level.”
One of the more successful trainers moving south is Aggie Ordonez, who already has two wins this meeting with Om N Joy and Vodka Vodka. But this is also her fourth season at Del Mar.
“I was one of the first Northern California trainers to make the move,” she said. “I saw the writing on the wall and just went for it. Northern California was my home for 20 years. It’s been rough at times. My husband is still up there.
“But as a trainer, I had no other options. It’s a roller-coaster game and you don’t want to be caught on the down side. You never know about the future. I still feel there is a place for a Northern California circuit.”
Trainers would love to see a reopening of Golden Gate Fields. Ordonez favors a summer meeting at Golden Gate over the traditional Northern California fair circuit. “The weather at Golden Gate would be perfect for a summer meeting,” she said. “Instead, they had us moving around from fair to fair in triple-digit temperatures.”
“What made it worse was two moves in a year,” said Wright. “We were caught off guard when Golden Gate closed. We had to quickly move all our stuff to Pleasanton. Then that closed and we moved down here.”
Wright and Baker talked about the expense of the move, although Santa Anita stepped up with incentives and assisted with payments for the transfer of the horses.
Baker brought 12 horses south. Wright brought eight to Santa Anita. That number dropped to four, is now back to 11 and could grow by a couple more.
“The key is getting horses in the barn that you know can compete down here,” said Wright.
In addition to his horses, Baker had to remove “19 years’ worth of equipment” from Golden Gate when that track closed.
“I have a few horses that are going to do OK down here,” said Baker. “But it’s not the same and I’m not sure the tracks can do more.”
Said Wright: “We’re surviving. …
“Somewhere on the West Coast, we need a secondary circuit. If not, people will stop breeding (horses) and you lose stock. Right now, the only options are to survive down here or move out of state.”
Filly challenger
The Peter Miller-trained filly What’s a Good Name (Juan Hernandez) takes on five boys Friday in the $100,000 Graduation Stakes, a five-furlong test for Cal-bred 2-year-olds.
Hero or Zero (Umberto Rispoli) and Sammy Davis (Hector Berrios) are the morning-line favorites. But Miller, who scratched What’s a Good Game from last Sunday’s CTBA Stakes to run Friday, likes his chances.
“Girls mature faster than boys,” he said.
Notable
Fasig-Tipton Digital will handle the major reduction of Harris Farms, the thoroughbred operation of the late California breeder and owner John C. Harris, from Aug. 14-19. Ninety horses will be offered, including horses of racing age, breeding stock and mares carrying foals. Harris had one of California’s largest breeding, racing and stallion operations for four decades.
The Daily Racing Form reported that trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.’s stable star, White Abarrio, would ship West to run in the $1 million Pacific Classic. With the Breeders’ Cup Classic also at Del Mar this fall, the plan would likely be for the 6-year-old to stay in California until then. The horse has earned $1.8 million this year and more than $7 million in his career.
