The Golden State is home to over a tenth of the entire American population and one of the nationās richest horse racing states. Offtrack betting California is of course huge too. There are over half-a-dozen prominent race tracks and even more notable races throughout California. And despite some bumpy roads, horse racing is firmly established and off-track betting draws in from the different crowds both within and outside of the state.Ā
We will be covering the major topics to get you started on offtrack betting in California:
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With its rich history of horse racing, offtrack betting became legal in California in the late 80ās. The history of California horse racing runs through the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB). Established in 1933, it is an independent agency within the state to authorize and regulate horse racing and any betting associated with it.
The CHRB has seven members all appointed by the California governor. Through this board, off track betting was made possible.
Horse race betting blew up the moment this happened as all the major tracks within the state began taking legal wagers including the San Joaquin Fair in Stockton, Bay Meadows, and Santa Anita just to name a few.
Since this year, the state has continued to support horse race betting and only World War II has caused a disruption. Most of the betting action centers on thoroughbred racing.
Although in recent years, horse racing has taken a hit in popularity and many tracks including the Bay Meadows and Hollywood Park have closed down. Add the backlash from animal rights activists and horse racing hasnāt been as hot as it used to be. OTB California remains popular.
Still, plenty of Californians and out-of-state fans remain enthused with horse racing and off track betting allows them to splurge on the ponies.
There are a handful of notable races for offtrack betting California, but they mostly boil down to these four: the Santa Anita Derby, Santa Anita Handicap, Pacific Classic Stakes, and the Champion of Champions.
The Santa Anita Derby takes place around April and has been around since 1935. It is ran at a distance of 1 1/8 miles (9 furlongs) on a left-handed dirt track. Three-year-old Grade 1 thoroughbreds at 122 lbs. (55.3 kg) compete for a share of the $400,000 purse.
The Santa Anita Handicap, in contrast, happens around March at the same Santa Anita Park. It is a longer race at 1 Ā¼ miles (10 furlongs) and is contested between four-year-olds or older thoroughbreds. The total purse is $600,000.
The Pacific Classic Takes happens around August at the Del Mar Racetrack, a left-handed dirt track. It is as long as the Santa Anita Handicap at 1 Ā¼ miles (10 furlongs), but is between three-year-old or older thoroughbreds. $1,000,000 is the guaranteed purse.
Last but certainly not least, the Champion of Champions is a stakes race at the Los Alamitos Race Course. This is a short race at only Ā¼ mile (44 yards) on a straight dirt track between all the champions from eight various races across the United States. The total purse is $750,000.
Like the handful of notable races, there are a few prominent racetracks in California. Despite the closure of the Bay Meadows and Hollywood Park, California still sports a lineup that includes: Santa Anita Park, Del Mar Fairgrounds, Los Alamitos, Golden Gate Fields, and the Pleasanton Fairgrounds.
The Santa Anita Park is arguably the stateās most prestigious track and its biggest. It is home to both the Santa Anita Derby and Santa Anita Handicap, two of Californiaās biggest races.
It also hosted the Breedersā Cup as many as ten times.
The Del Mar Racetrack is located within the multi-purposed Del Mar Fairgrounds, which also has an arena, exhibit facilities, and a golf center. The racetrack, also known as the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, is the second-largest in the state and is home to races like the Pacific Classic, Eddie Read Stakes, and Del Mar Oaks.
Los Alamitos Race Course is Cypress, Californiaās main track and is home to the Champion of Champions among other notable races. It opened in 1951 and is renowned for holding four quarter horse stakes races with purses over $1 million.
Golden Gate Fields is located on the border of Albany and Berkeley and opened in 1941. It is the most prominent racetrack in Northern California with the closure of the Bay Meadows. It hosts the San Francisco Mile Stakes and Golden Gate Derby.
Santa Anita, Californiaās premier racetrack first opened in 1934, making it one of the oldest tracks still around. The main races to note here by order are the Sunshine Millions in January, the Handicap in March, and the Derby in April.
The Derby is the West Coast version of the Kentucky Derby and is an official part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Since its inception, ten Santa Anita Derby winners have gone on to win the Kentucky Derby.
Most notably, Triple Crown winners Affirmed in 1978 and Justify in 2013 both won the Santa Anita Derby.
There are usually prep races at the park leading to the Santa Anita Derby. These include the San Rafael Stakes, San Miguel Stakes, Sham Stakes, San Vicent Stakes, San Pedro Stakes, the Robert B. Lewis Stakes, and the San Felip Stakes. The Sham, Robert Lewis, and San Felipe are also part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby.
The Santa Anita Handicap, the longer of the two races, was first held in 1935 like the Derby. The legendary Seabiscuit won this race in 1940 although it is Game on Dude who holds the record with 3 wins.
Among jockeys, Gary Stevens has won the most Sanita Anita Derbies with 9 while Bill Shoemaker captured 11 Santa Anita Handicaps.
The Los Alamitos Race Course has a quirky distinction of having a postal address in Los Alamitos yet being officially in Cypress, California. It is the premier four quarter horse stakes racetrack in the state and holds purses over $1 million including the Champion of Champions.
Some of the top races to keep track of here are the Great Lady M. Stakes and Los Alamitos Derby ran in July, the Los Alamitos Futurity, Great Lady M. Stakes, and Bayakoa Stakes in December, and the Champion of Champions.
The Champion of Champions, a quarter-mile race holds a purse of $750,000 and pits the different champions of the following races: the Los Alamitos Winter Championship, Remington Park Championship, Vessels Maturity, All American Derby, Mildred Vessels Memorial, Robert L. Boniface Los Alamitos Invitational Championship, Los Alamitos Super Derby, and the Bank of America Challenge Championship.
Refrigerator, from 1992 to 1994, holds the record for most wins by a horse with three. Two jockeys, Jerry Nicodemus and Bruce Pilkenton have both won the race four times and are tied for the record.
But the biggest star of Los Alamitos is the iconic Go Man Go, the three-time World Champion Quarter Running Horse. His popularity, helped by his wild temperament, usually led to the courseās golden years where the stands would be filled. Go Man Go was the Man oāWar of Quarter Horse racing and took its prominence to new heights.
The Del Mar Racetrack was built in 1936 on the behest of the Thoroughbred Club led by founding member Bing Crosby. The racetrack holds many notable races including the Pacific Classic Stakes, Eddie Read Stakes, Del Mar Oaks, and Bing Crosby Stakes, all grade I races.
The Pacific Classic Stakes, now also known as the TVG Pacific Classic, has a purse of up to $1,000,000 million making it one of the richest horse races in America. It was first run in 1991 and is part of the Breedersā Cup Challenge (since 2008).
Being relatively young, a pair of horses have won the race twice each: Tinners Way from 1994 to 1995, Skimming from 2000 to 2001, and Richardās Kid from 2009 to 2010. Two jockeys, Garrett K. Gomez and Mike E. Smith have won four races apiece.
The track is also notable for its innovative renovations. In early 2007, the racetrack became the first in California to install a Polytrack brand surface although they later returned to a dirt track. The track also features a tan stucco grandstand found in the Pacific Ocean.
Locations for Offtrack Betting California
Shasta District Fair
1890 Briggs Street
Anderson, CA 96007
Phone: (530) 378-6789
Humboldt County Fair
1250 Fifth Street
Ferndale, CA 95536
Phone: (707) 786-9511
Sonoma County Fair
1350 Bennett Valley Road
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
Phone: (707) 545-4200
The Solano Race Place
900 Fairgrounds Drive
Vallejo, CA 94589
Phone: (707) 551-2030
California State Fair
1600 Exposition Boulevard
Sacramento,CA 95815
Phone: (877) 225-3976
San Joaquin County Fair
1658 S Airport Way
Stockton, CA 95206
Phone: (209) 466-5041
San Mateo Jockey Club
2495 South Delaware Street
San Mateo, CA 94403
Phone: (650) 574-6063
Golden Gate Fields
1100 Eastshore Highway
Berkeley, CA 94710
Phone: (510) 559-7300
Alameda County Fair
4501 Pleasanton Avenue
Pleasanton, CA 94566
Phone: (925) 426-7600
Monterey County Fair
2004 Fair Road
Monterey, CA 93940
Phone: (831) 372-5863
StanCoFair Turf Room
900 North Broadway
Turlock, CA 95380
Phone: (209) 634-2870
The Big Fresno Fair
1121 S Chance Avenue
Fresno, CA 93702
Phone: (559) 650-3247
Tulare County Fair
215 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue
Tulare, CA 93274
Phone: (559) 686-4707
Original Roadhouse Grill
1423 South Bradley Road
Santa Maria, CA 93454
Phone: (805) 614-0586
Kern County Fair
1142 South P Street
Bakersfield, CA 93307
Phone: (661) 833-4929
Antelope Valley Fair Turf Room
2551 West Avenue H
Lancaster, CA 93536
Phone: (661) 206-0404
The Derby Club
10 West Harbor Boulevard
Ventura, CA 93001
Phone: (805) 653-2533
San Bernardino County Fair
14800 Seventh Street
Victorville, CA 92395
Phone: (760) 951-7223
The National Orange Show Events Center
689 South E Street
San Bernardino, CA 92408
Phone: (909) 885-7223
Hollywood Park
1050 S Prairie Avenue
Inglewood, CA 90306
Phone: (310) 419-1500
Commerce Casino
6131 East Telegraph Road
Commerce, CA 90040
Phone: (323) 721-2100
Santa Anita Park
285 W Huntington Drive
Arcadia, CA 91007
Phone: (626) 574-7223
Lake Perris Sports Pavilion
18700 Lake Perris Drive
Perris, CA 92571
Phone: (951) 679-7223
Los Alamitos Race Course
4961 Katella Ave.
Los Alamitos, CA, 90720
Phone: (714) 820-2800
Fairplex Park
1101 W McKinley Ave
Pomona, CA 91768
Phone: (909) 623-3111
OC Tavern
2369 South El Camino Real
San Clemente, CA 92672
Phone: (949) 542-8877
Barona Resort & Casino
1932 Wildcat Canyon Road
Lakeside, CA 92040
Phone: (888) 722-7662
Shalimar Sports Center
46350 Arabia Street
Indio, CA 92201
Phone: (760) 863-8246
Fantasy Springs Casino
84-245 Indio Springs Parkway
Indio, CA 92203
Phone: (800) 827-2946
Del Mar Thoroughbred Club
2260 Jimmy Durante Boulevard
Del Mar, California 92014
Phone: (858) 755-1141
Sycuan Casino
5469 Casino Way
El Cajon, CA 92019
Phone: (619) 445-6002
Viejas Casino
5000 Willows Road
Alpine, CA 91901
Phone: (800) 847-6537
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