Shorter meet puts emphasis on turf

Less is more. At least that’s what director of racing Stacey Lapham and racing secretary Bob Moreno are hoping as the Sonoma County Fair begins an eight-day run on Thursday in Santa Rosa, Calif.

The meet, which includes racing for Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses, runs for two Thursday-Sunday weeks: Aug. 2-5 and Aug. 9-12. Last year’s meet ran for three weeks, with the third week of the meet conducted without the fair.

First post is 1:15 p.m. Pacific on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and 2:15 p.m. on Fridays.

Santa Rosa is the only summer fair meet with a turf course, and with one fewer week of racing this year, the course will be used more heavily.

“The turf course is awesome,” said Lapham. “It seems to be in the best condition in many years.”

Lapham texted pictures of the course to Moreno while he has been working at the racing office at Del Mar, and Moreno has shared the pictures with Southern California trainers.

“The turf course seems in exceptional condition, and when I showed trainers the pictures, I’ve had more inquiries about the turf races there than usual,” said Moreno.

All three Thoroughbred stakes at the meet are at 1 1/16 miles on turf, and each is worth $50,000: the Luther Burbank for fillies and mares on Aug. 4, the Robert Dupret Derby for 3-yearolds on Aug. 5, and the Joseph T. Grace Handicap for 3-year-olds and up on Aug. 11.

Lapham said more horses had shipped to Santa Rosa before the meet than anticipated – perhaps a harbinger of full fields.

“We’ve already filled more stalls than we have in several years, and more will be coming in,” she said. “It’s a good sign.”

Michael Wrona returns to call the races, with James Wallace to be a guest race caller on the second Thursday of the meet.

There are daily handicapping seminars at 11:30 a.m. on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and at 12:30 p.m. on Fridays.

A variety of racing promotions are also planned, including Hat Day on Saturday, Aug. 11 and Derby Dog Dashes both Sundays.