By Bloodhorse.com
CYPRESS, Calif. (Apr. 15, 2016) — Los Alamitos Race Course owner Ed Allred April 15 distributed a letter to “participants and employees” that said he plans to run races at the Cypress, Calif. racetrack for at least 10 more years.
“God willing, let’s plan on 10 years … and at that time, reevaluate the status of my health and proceed as indicated,” the 79-year-old Allred wrote.
A leading Quarter Horse breeder, Allred wrote in the letter that Los Alamitos is planning to present a local ballot measure to develop portions of the racetrack and the now-closed Cypress Golf Course, which he also owns.
“The remaining 170 acres is a combination of the racetrack property and the ‘old back nine’ of the golf course,” Allred wrote. “Fifty to 60 acres could be developed of the 170 acres without disrupting the Quarter Horse program.”
Los Alamitos expanded its track to a mile in 2014 to accommodate occasional daytime Thoroughbred meets, which now accompany its year-round Quarter Horse racing season.
“I am well and healthy, having recovered from urologic surgery in November 2015,” Allred wrote. “I continue to breed 130 Quarter Horse foals each year. I love what I am doing and I love (Los Alamitos) and the people who race and work here. It is my strong desire to keep (Los Alamitos) operational as long as horsemen support the racing program, and so long as I am able to oversee the operation. … It is unlikely that upon my passing or serious disability that another group could be found that could aquire the track for racing purposes.”
Allred also indicated in the letter that “alternative gaming” could be beneficial to California racing.
“It is possible, but not likely at this time, that some form of alternative gaming could change the economics of racing in a positive way, enabling California racing to thrive,” he wrote.