The Purses at Fairplex Meeting Are Better Than Fair

Tired of hearing about the lavish new facility at Arlington International Racecourse, a Southern California trainer sent a friend in Chicago a list of Fairplex purses and the following note:

“I’ll admit they haven’t got much of a grandstand, but they pay real well.”

No kidding. Thoroughbred racing at the Los Angeles County Fair in Pomona has become big business, and almost impossible to pass up for even the most snobbish owners and trainers on the local circuit.

In fact, the only holdouts are the leading Southern California jockeys--notably Chris McCarron, Eddie Delahoussaye, Laffit Pincay--and their motives are based on self-preservation more than anything else.

But for the rest of the racing colony, Pomona is a must. Purses for the 18-day meeting have ballooned in the era of inter-track betting. Today’s 13-race opener--beginning at 12:30 p.m. with an appaloosa event--provides ample evidence.

Besides the $50,000-added Foothill Stakes for 3-year-olds, the card includes a $30,000 race for maiden 2-year-old fillies and a $24,000 purse for horses supposedly worth only $25,000.

An estimated $4 million will be up for grabs during the 18 consecutive days of racing, with $1.1 million earmarked for 19 thoroughbred stakes events. The meeting ends Sunday, Oct. 1, when Earl Scheib’s He’s a Saros tries for an unprecedented third consecutive victory in the $150,000 Pomona Invitational Handicap.

Jockeys from all over the Southwest converge on Pomona, making for some unpredictable moments on the tight little course. The colony will be headed by 20-year-old Corey Black, who has been almost unbeatable in his three Pomona seasons.

Black won the fair title as an apprentice in 1986 with 33 winners. He led in 1987 with 22 wins, then last year he held off Martin Pedroza to take a 27-24 decision.

But Black is realistic about his success.

“I’m not trying to be phony humble,” he said. “But if I’m on four 8-5 shots every day, I’d better be winning a lot of races.”

Black insists that there is no secret to riding the 5/8th-mile “bullring,” noting simply, “You just try to stay out of trouble.”

The hardest part about riding the fair, Black added, is the 18-day grind.

“After about 11 straight days, you really start wishing you had a day off,” he said.

Fairplex Notes

Corey Black will be aboard Ken Schiffer’s Gum in the 6 1/2-furlong Foothill, the same horse he rode to victory at the fair in the 1987 Beau Brummel Stakes. The opposition includes Movinglikeawinner, Comical, Hasty Double, Brilliantized, Jaklin Loma Lad, Sabulose, Loaded Juan, One Drink and Magnetized, with Copeta and Please Me Saros the also-eligible. . . . Robbie Davis plans to ride occasionally at Pomona as the former New York rider continues to solidify his status on the local circuit. . . . Craig Lewis will try to become the first trainer to take three consecutive Fairplex titles (not counting ties) since the late Reggie Cornell did it in 1960-62.