Large crowd closes out fair horse racing

<p>Racing ended Sunday at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds with the largest crowd of bonus week. Management would like nothing more than to host additional dates for next year's 75th anniversary season.</p><p>This summer, for the second time in four years, a third week of racing was added to the schedule and while on-track and simulcast figures were not yet available, fair manager Tawny Tesconi said it was no secret management would like to race more than two weeks per year.</p><p>“We'd like to put on more racing if the industry wants us to and we can make a profit,” Tesconi said. “When the fair board meets in September, we'll know the bottom line for this meet, and we'll make a decision on what we're going to ask for in 2011.”</p><p>Tesconi is betting Santa Rosa will race more than two weeks, but she's not as sure the extra dates will again be tacked on to the end of the fair. With Bay Meadows closed permanently, the Northern California racing schedule is in flux.</p><p>“There is a possibility we might run during the fair and one other time during the year,” she said. “If it's going to be worthwhile to get the main track and turf course ready for racing and the industry wants us to, we'd be receptive.”</p><p>While it's tough to accurately predict attendance because admission was free the five days of bonus week, Tesconi said it was about what she expected.</p><p>“It could've been better, but my philosophy is that there's a three-year trial period after a business tries something new,” Tesconi said. “By that, I mean your customers have to get used to something new. We want them thinking, ‘Hey, the carnival and vendors are gone, but we can still go racing.' People need to get into a habit, and I think that takes at least three years.</p><p>“People like coming to the races here; they always have. There's a camaraderie and enthusiasm that makes not only the fans want to come back, also the jockeys and horsemen.”</p><p>With the racing schedule muddled statewide because of track bankruptcies and closures, the California Horse Racing Board will begin talking about 2011 dates at its September meeting.</p><h3>NOTES</h3> <p>*Sunday was not a great day for local owners. Cardinal Newman, owned by attorney Jack DeMeo and his wife Judy, bowed a tendon 50 yards from the wire while finishing sixth in the sixth race, It 's not life threatening, but his racing career is likely over. In that same race, Three Quarter Tout finished third for the Robert H. Walter Family Trust of Forestville.</p><p>*In the 11th race, the Walters' yellow and black silks were carried by fourth place finisher Ed's Nelly Bly. Joe Negri's Best of Occidental finished second in that race.</p><p>*Russell Baze finished as leading rider for the umpteenth time with 21 winners, including his world record No. 11,000 on Saturday. He was blanked closing day. Three riders tied for second in the standings with 15: Michael Martinez, Leslie Mawing and Juan Hernandez.</p><p>Hernandez took riding honors Sunday, winning with Miss Oops ($7.20) in the fifth, Quotation ($10.40) in the sixth and Indypicture ($10.80) in the 10th.</p><p>*Leading trainer honors went to Steve Sherman with 10. Rounding out the top five were Jerry Hollendorfer (eight), William E. Morey (seven), Dean Pederson (six) and Valerie Rhoden (five).</p><p>*Santa Rosa trainer Steve Specht has picked races for his stakes stars. Lady Railrider, third in the Luther Burbank here, is going to Del Mar for next Sunday's $100,000 Solana Beach Handicap. Unbeaten Luckarack, triumphant in the Cavonnier, will be prepared for the $50,000 added Angel Island on Sept. 11 at Golden Gate Fields.</p><p>*A majority of the horses that raced in Santa Rosa will show up next at Golden Gate. The Albany track opens Aug. 25. Others will surface next week at Ferndale.</p><p>*Chris Van Der Zee's Coupe, a Jack Russell terrier, was crowned champion in Sunday's Derby Dog Dash. Elizabeth Pena and Joseph Galvan's Lola, a terrier mix, was runner-up and Lea's Lieurance's Macey, a chihuahua/poodle mix, finished third in the finals.</p>