As the horse racing industry in California continues its inexorable downward spiral it’s apparent that one of the major reasons is a cumbersome state government bureaucracy. Instead of making proactive and rapid changes to adapt to changing market conditions nothing has changed and very likely nothing will until there’s nothing left to save. At any rate, there has been tentative agreement on 2017 racing dates among the various interests in Southern California racing. These dates will be presented in a proposal to the California Horse Racing Board for ratification at meetings in next week at Del Mar. Negotiations for 2017 dates in Northern California continue to drag on and are not likely to be finalized for several weeks.

The agreement is for racing dates for the next three years as well as for longterm off track stabling beginning in 2017. The racing board’s dates committee will meet on Monday to get updates from representatives of both Northern and Southern California circuits. The Southern California schedule for the next three years will look much like the 2014 and 2015 seasons, the first two years of racing following the closure of Hollywood Park in late 2013.

For 2017, Santa Anita will run from December 26, 2016 to July 4 immediately followed by a two-week summer meet at Los Alamitos. Del Mar will race for 36 days from Wednesday, July 19, through Monday, Sept. 4. Los Alamitos will host the Los Angeles County Fair meeting for three weeks in September before Santa Anita begins a five-week autumn meeting in the final days of September through October. Del Mar will run a four-week meeting from November 1 through 26 before Los Alamitos hosts a three week race meeting from November 30 to December 17. The dates are likely to be approved by the California Horse Racing Board and have the support of the Thoroughbred Owners of California. Chief Executive Greg Avioli emphasized the stability the agreement provides for bettors and horsemen: “We think it’s a good thing for owners and trainers and bettors to have stability. If the CHRB wants to proceed with it, we can have a longer view. The key to this is stability and the tracks and the horsemen working together.”