The California Horse Racing Board will consider proposals for race meetings at the Tehama County Fair in Red Bluff in May, and the Humboldt County Fair in Ferndale in August at a special meeting in Arcadia on Thursday, the latest effort to revive racing in Northern California.
Both county fair race meetings face difficult regulatory and financial obligations to receive approval from a racing board that voted against applications for proposed race meetings in Northern California on three occasions last year.
No racing has been held in Northern California since the conclusion of an autumn meeting in Pleasanton in December 2024. Golden Gate Fields, in Albany, the primary track in Northern California, closed permanently in June 2024.
The Tehama County Fair has proposed a nine-day meeting from May 1-24, but faces a demanding timeline to complete construction, satisfy financial arrangements, and pass required inspections to meet racing board deadlines, according to an analysis of the track’s applications published on the racing board’s website.
The track failed an inspection by racing board staff in late January because of incomplete construction.
The analysis, prepared by racing board staff, also cited the absence of completed documentation on issues ranging from agreements with horsemen’s organizations, account wagering vendors, and a contract with a tote company.
Tehama, located north of Sacramento, is seeking its first racing license, according to racing board documents. The venue has hosted unsanctioned non-betting races.
The Humboldt County Fair had a well-established position on the Northern California fair circuit through 2024. The northernmost racetrack in California, Humboldt was denied racing licenses at three consecutive racing board meetings last year.
At Thursday’s meeting, Humboldt officials are seeking 12 racing days from Aug. 7-30.
The racing board’s staff analysis of Humboldt’s racing application cited similar deficiencies that were noted in the Red Bluff documents, notably agreements with horsemen’s organizations, account wagering vendors, and a contract with a tote company.
In past years, Humboldt’s race meeting has been conducted by the California Authority of Racing Fairs, which no longer exists. A replacement organization, Bernal Park Racing, has been at the fore of seeking a resumption of racing dates at Northern California venues in the last year.
The racing board’s analysis of the Humboldt proposed meeting cited concerns about financial arrangements with Bernal Park Racing.
Any proposed race meetings in Northern California are expected to face opposition from Southern California tracks. Since the cessation of racing in Northern California, revenue from simulcast wagering throughout the state has been directed to Southern California tracks, resulting in a purse increase.
The resumption of racing in Northern California would restore revenue from simulcast wagering to tracks in that part of the state, and could lead to lower purses in Southern California.
In January, the racing board heard proposals for race meetings at Red Bluff, Humboldt, and the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton. There is no proposal for racing at Pleasanton on Thursday’s agenda.
The board voted 6-0 in January to postpone a decision on Northern California racing to Thursday’s meeting.
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