Los Alamitos Seeks Expansion for Thoroughbred Racing

If racetrack officials get their way, the Los Alamitos Race Course could soon expand to include thoroughbred racing.

According to Daily Racing Form, Los Alamitos officials will apply to the city of Cypress for permits this month to expand the barn area and racetrack to accommodate thoroughbred racing as early as 2014.

Daily Racing Form sites Los Alamitos as the leading candidate to eventually replace Hollywood Park as a second thoroughbred venue for the region because Hollywood Park officials have not committed to hosting thoroughbred races beyond 2013. The newspaper reports that Hollywood Park owners are interested in tearing down the tack to make room for a housing and commercial development.

According to Daily Racing Form:

Track consultant Brad McKinzie said that Los Alamitos met with Cypress officials last Friday to present the track’s expansion plans…Los Alamitos has proposed expanding its current five-eighths-mile dirt track to a circumference of just less than a mile and adding approximately 1,000 stalls on vacant land adjacent to its existing backstretch to accommodate Thoroughbred racing and training. There are no plans to add a turf course.