CHRB Rejects Bid to Bring Back Fresno Horse Racing

In Fresno Horse Racing Live, horse racing will not return to The Big Fresno Fair in 2025. John Harris and George Schmitt put forward a plan, but the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) said no in a 4-3 vote this June. This came after many months of making plans and talking to the public. Key people from Central Valley and fans of racing liked the idea. Still, it did not pass.

The plan, submitted by Bernal Park Racing, LLC, was created after the California Authority of Racing Fairs announced it would no longer manage live race meets in Fresno Horse Racing and other Northern California locations. In February, the Big Fresno Fair board put a stop to live races for the next year. This made Harris and Schmitt start a new group to run and pay for the work. They wanted races on September 19-21, 26-28, and October 1. These dates would match with race times in places like Washington, Wyoming, and Arizona.

The CHRB decision disappointed many who hoped to maintain the local racing tradition. Horse races have been at the Big Fresno Fair for more than 120 years. In 2024, a 14-day event pulled in $3.2 million in bets and had over 50,000 watchers. With such a long past, Harris and Schmitt felt there was a good reason to keep this old way going with new leaders.

John Harris, known for his longtime involvement in California racing, responded with determination. “It’s very important that Fresno Horse Racing maintains its race dates. We will never give up continuing this storied tradition of Fresno Horse Racing. Today’s decision is not the end. We will come back again next year.”

George Schmitt, also a seasoned breeder and co-founder of Bernal Park Racing, said the outcome was disheartening. “We are very sad about the CHRB’s choice to say no to the 2025 race dates for Fresno Horse Racing. We put a lot of smart and hard work into this, and many from Central Valley who led us backed it up. This hits horse owners, trainers, and breeders hard. They were set to help with his event and need chances like this to keep their work going and stay in the game.”

This marked the third straight month the CHRB has rejected proposals connected to Northern California racing dates. Bernal Park Racing also submitted similar plans to restart live racing in Pleasanton and Ferndale in Humboldt County, but those proposals have faced the same outcome.

Fair officials noted that despite the result, their long-term goal remains focused on bringing back live racing to Fresno Horse Racing. Discussions with community partners and industry supporters will continue in preparation for a future proposal.

While there will be no live racing at the 2025 Big Fresno Fair, the fair’s satellite wagering facility, The Starting Gate, remains open. Located on the fairgrounds, it operates from Thursday to Sunday and offers visitors a chance to place bets on races happening throughout California and other states.

The fair’s leadership said they are committed to maintaining Fresno Horse Racing’s presence in California racing. Many involved in the effort believe that the region’s support, historical ties to horse racing, and the operational model of Bernal Park Racing provide a practical path forward, even if the immediate result fell short.

For now, the CHRB choice stops live shows from coming back, but work still goes on off stage. People like Harris and Schmitt plan to look at the plan again in 2026. They hope that things will be better then and that live races can be part of the fair once more.