Horse racing returns to the Humboldt County Fair

Horse races are back on for the Humboldt County Fair this year after the reopening of the grandstands.

With opening day looming horse racing fans are heading to the fairgrounds see the horse take to the track once more.

“We do go out and recruit horse,” head of the fair board Andy Titus said. “And we have horses from all over the place. We have horses from Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Southern California, Northern California.

It’s a stacked roster compared to last year.

“We’re up about 25 percent. Last year, we have about 150 to 175,” racing secretary Tom Doutrich said. “This year, were looking at about having 200 on the grounds here once Friday rolls around.”

Doutrich anticipates about seven to eight races will be ran on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Local group Cream City Racing Stables is one of the many teams looking to capture racing glory.

“And that was 36 people in Humboldt County that all threw money in trying to buy horse to get horses that would have not been coming to Humboldt here to help better the program on our own,” Titus said.

Cream City Racing Stables has raised more than $275,000 in sponsorships for the fair.