The
Northern California Fair Circuit has many exciting improvements for Horsemen
racing in 2007. Humboldt has initiated a major renovation project to replace
the racing office and jockey quarters, Stockton is completing a major
renovation of their grandstand and continues to upgrade stalls on the backside,
Pleasanton is looking into the feasibility of new track surfaces and The Big
Fresno Fair continues to complete improvements to both the backside and
grandstand.
CARF has
added an additional state of the art water truck and well as an additional
8350T John Deere tractor to the racetrack maintenance fleet. The Fairs will
continue to invest in their facilities and plan to be the focus of Northern
California Horse Racing for the future. The ongoing success of the Fairs is
due to your support and dedication.
STARTER
FEES AND WORKMENS COMP.
Horses do
not have to run in the money to earn a check at the Northern California Fairs.
For 2007 horsemen can expect the following from purses and starter fees:
·The Out-of-State Incentive Program provides money to
trainers for each starter that travels 600 miles or more to run on the Fairs.
Each out-of-state horse will receive $300 for its first Fair start. Runners
making their first start at Ferndale will receive $150 at Ferndale and another
$150 if they start at Fresno. **To receive the Program Incentive, each
trainer must contact the Paymaster and request the funds for each eligible
horse.** Funds for this program will not be automatically deposited into
horsemen’s accounts.
·Thoroughbreds will receive $130 per start and Emerging
Breeds received $75 per start.
·Thoroughbreds which finish 6th or worse will continue to
receive an additional $150 per start (in a situation where 5th place purse
money paid is less than $150, CARF will pay the balance to achieve $150 per
start). In races where the Fair is overlapped with Bay Meadows or Golden
Gate Fields, that fee will be raised to $300 per start for finishing 5th or
worse.
·Every trainer starting horses in California must have a
current Workers’ Compensation policy in effect. The major Workers’
Compensation providers in California are State Fund and AIG (see enclosed
information). Owners with Trainers insured by State Fund will receive a $60
per start bonus for Thoroughbreds. Emerging Breeds will receive a per start
bonus based on exotic pools for emerging breeds only. Last year the bonus was
approximately $22 per start and was distributed to owners following the
conclusion of the Fair Circuit.
PURSES
Purses paid
at Stockton, Pleasanton, Vallejo, Santa Rosa and Fresno will be at least the
same amount as paid at the Golden Gate spring meet. Ferndale purses will be
50% of this purse structure. CARF will also guarantee a $10,000 purse at Ferndale for one of the legs of the California Marketing Committee/California Authority of
Racing Fairs (CMC/CARF) Starter Series for Thoroughbreds which have run for a
claiming price of $4,000 or less in 2005-2006 going one mile, and providing
$60,000 in bonus money for the top ten owners and trainers. In addition Stockton is adding an additional overnight stakes race ($40,000) for three and up
sprinting.
STABLING
Stockton opens on Tuesday, May 1, 2007 for
stabling. The track opens on Thursday, May 3, 2007. Pleasanton will open for
free stabling beginning Tuesday, May 15, 2007. Due to requirements for
stabling horses for Golden Gate Fields (who is installing a synthetic surface)
both Pleasanton and Vallejo will be open for free stabling until Tuesday,
September 4, 2007. Vallejo will open for stabling on Friday, June 1, 2007.
