Fairplex Park

Satellite wagering on Hollywood Park's thoroughbred races will be offered at Fairplex Park to coincide with the opening of Hollywood Park's 59th season tonight. In addition, satellite wagering on quarter horses from Los Alamitos returns tonight. There had been some question if the thoroughbred wagering would be allowed at Fairplex Park after Santa Anita, citing an effect on on-track attendance, would not send its satellite signal to Fairplex Park last December.

This may be the 88th year that Angelenos have enjoyed the Los Angeles County Fair, but it may be the first year one can eat a ton of deep-fried novelties, work it off dancing to live music and finally see how that whole process happens in a display of real human cadavers. Adding a lot of science and a little bit of sideshow freakiness to the festival atmosphere, the exhibit "Our Bodies: The Universe Within" is making its first, non-museum debut at the fair this year. Opening Saturday and running until Oct. 3, the L.A. event is the biggest county fair in the nation, with an average attendance of 1.3 million people for each of the last five years.

Jockey Martin Pedroza ruined Laffit Pincay's 1990 Fairplex Park debut Friday, charging from behind on Shinko's Lass to a 2 3/4-length victory in the $53,900 CTBA Marian Stakes at 1 1/6 miles. Circling three wide around the far turn, Pedroza guided Shinko's Lass past Something Comfy, the troubled favorite with Pincay aboard. Intercivet was another five lengths behind in third in the field of 10 three-year-old fillies. Shinko's Lass covered the distance in 1:43 2/5 and paid $17.40.

With a pick six carry-over pool of almost $1 million going into today's card at Fairplex Park, officials are anticipating heavy wagering on the races at the Los Angeles County Fair as the meet enters its final six days. The three-day carry-over pool will be $988,445. "It's by far and away the largest we've ever had," said George Bradvica, racing manager at Fairplex.

For the insatiable horseplayer, the Los Angeles County Fair at Fairplex Park in Pomona is the answer. The fair opens its racing season today with 13 races, and by the Sept. 30 end of the meeting, about 235 races will have been run over 19 consecutive days. The schedule includes races for thoroughbreds, quarter horses, Appaloosas and possibly Arabians. Today, there are two stakes for thoroughbreds and one for quarter horses.

Jockey David Flores, missing since he failed to show for his mounts Monday at Fairplex Park in Pomona, contacted stewards Wednesday from Tijuana and said he will not return for the remainder of the meet. Steward David Samuel said Flores, 27, who has a history of personal and emotional problems, told him that he "wanted to take some time off to get his head on straight."

Although the first harness racing season since 1970 at the county fairgrounds ended last month with a deficit and disappointing attendance figures, Fairplex Park officials say they are eager to begin anew on Nov. 4. In hopes of drawing larger crowds, track officials say they will introduce afternoon harness racing during the six-week winter season, which runs through Dec. 13.

As Fairplex Park prepared for its 66th racing season earlier this week, the temperature hit 102 degrees in Pomona. When opening day arrived Friday at the Los Angeles County Fair, there was a cold snap, the temperature plummeting to 99. "I feel like those jockeys in the sweat box, trying to lose weight," said a woman who attended the opener. Among the participants, jockey Martin Pedroza was hot when last year's 17-day meet ended, and he came out smoking again Friday.

Taking advantage of the break between the Del Mar meet and the Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita, Fairplex Park at Pomona has scheduled 251 races, involving thoroughbreds, quarter horses and appaloosas, into a 19-day meet beginning today at the Los Angeles County Fair. First post for the 57th season at Fairplex is 1 p.m., with at least one stakes race daily through Oct. 2. The meet's main event is the $150,000-guaranteed Ralph M. Hinds Pomona Invitational Handicap on Oct. 1.

Comical raced to a six-length victory Thursday in the $54,650 Foothill Stakes, the opening-day feature of the Los Angeles County Fair race meeting at Fairplex Park. Comical, who led the entire race, covered the 6 1/2-furlong distance in 1:16 1/5 to equal the stakes record. The winner benefited from early troubles of favored Sabulose, who was carried extremely wide on the first turn by Movinglikeawinner, then closed to within two lengths of the leader at the quarter pole.

The Fairplex Park racing meet that opens today for a 16-day run during the Los Angeles County Fair in Pomona remains much as it has been, a bridge between the closing of the Del Mar meet and the opening of the Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita -- and another chance for perennial leading jockey Martin Pedroza to clean up.

Continuing to position itself for a run at possible racing dates should Hollywood Park close in a few years, Fairplex Park in Pomona has hired Cliff Goodrich, former president of Santa Anita and Arlington Park. Goodrich, reached by phone in suburban Chicago, where he resigned at Arlington in January, described his role at Fairplex as a consultant who will be active in the conversion of the Pomona track from a five-furlong to a one-mile oval.

It was business as usual for the training and riding leaders at Fairplex Park in Pomona, where Doug O'Neill and Martin Pedroza retained their stranglehold on the meet titles. The O'Neill barn didn't register any wins on Monday, closing day for the 16-day mixed-breed season at the Los Angeles County Fair, but O'Neill's 13 wins still ranked him first in the standings, which he has led since 2002. O'Neill, who tied with Wesley Ward for the lead in 2003, is the first trainer to be No.

Courtly Jazz, whose last three races had been on grass, returned to dirt Sunday to win the $100,000 Ralph M. Hinds Handicap, giving jockey David Cohen his third win on the card at Fairplex Park. "If he could handle the turns on the turf course at Del Mar, we figured he'd have no trouble with the tight turns here," said Gary Mandella, who trains Courtly Jazz. Richard Mandella, Gary's father, won the stake with Region in 1996. Courtly Jazz, who paid $24.60, beat Robledo by a neck.

A long-running success, Fairplex Park is nevertheless making a significant change for the 16-day Los Angeles County Fair meet opening today in Pomona. For the first time since 1981, the meet will have fewer than 17 racing days. Meets of 17, 18 and 19 days have been standard over the years. This year's schedule calls for dark Tuesdays, next week and Sept. 20.

Hotel Hall, winless in 16 starts the last two years, closed on the inside Sunday under Omar Figueroa to win the closing-day $100,000 Ralph M. Hinds Pomona Handicap at the Los Angeles County Fair at Fairplex Park. Nose The Trade, who couldn't hold the lead, finished second, beaten by a neck, and Kristine's King, the 17-10 favorite ridden by Martin Pedroza, was third, another 4 1/2 lengths back. Pedroza finished with two winners, giving him a record 51 for the 17-day meet.

Beyond Perfection, fresh off a smashing triumph in the Del Mar Debutante, meets nine rivals Wednesday afternoon at Fairplex Park in the initial running of the $150,000-guaranteed Barrett's Debutante at 6 1/2 furlongs. Julio Garcia has the mount Wednesday; Beyond Perfection will carry 120 pounds, spotting her rivals three to seven pounds. She breaks from the rail slot.

Two postcard scenes from a late autumn morning at Fairplex Park in Pomona: --Howard Parker is driving off the track, guiding his sulky through the gate leading to the barn area. In his arms is his year-old son, Gregory, wearing a blue-and-white helmet like his father's. Gregory is the fourth generation of the Parker family to be introduced to harness racing.

When jockey Martin Pedroza and his agent, Richie Silverstein, looked at the start of the Fairplex Park meet a couple of weeks ago, Pedroza estimated that he might win 40 races during the 17-day stand at the Los Angeles County Fair. "But then we set our goal at 50 wins," said Silverstein, who reminded Pedroza that Ryan Fogelsonger and Tyler Baze wouldn't be riding in Pomona this season.

As Fairplex Park prepared for its 66th racing season earlier this week, the temperature hit 102 degrees in Pomona. When opening day arrived Friday at the Los Angeles County Fair, there was a cold snap, the temperature plummeting to 99. "I feel like those jockeys in the sweat box, trying to lose weight," said a woman who attended the opener. Among the participants, jockey Martin Pedroza was hot when last year's 17-day meet ended, and he came out smoking again Friday.