About Los Alamitos

Following the closure of Hollywood Park in 2013, Los Alamitos took on two thoroughbred meets in the summer from 2014 and extended the track to a mile to accommodate this.

The track became more recognized in the racing world when, after Hollywood’s closure, trainer Art Sherman relocated there and trained California Chrome to win the 2014 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, narrowly missing out on a Triple Crown.

The track sits in Cypress, California, under 10 miles from Anaheim and is capable of drawing people from all around the greater Los Angeles area.

Los Alamitos can boast four quarter horse races each with a purse of over $1million which puts it at no.1 in the country on that score.

Los Alamitos History

Having made his name and fortune in the construction business, Frank Vessels Sr. of Kentucky purchased a 400+ acre ranch in Orange County with a view to hosting match races in 1947 on the site now known as Los Alamitos.

With laws by now allowing wagering, the first pari-mutuel race meeting at Los Alamitos took place in 1951, lasting 11 days and closing on December 15. The inaugural meeting was hounded by unexpected bad weather however with rain falling on ten of the 11 days, though work was done to try to counteract this.

Fittingly for this spectacle however, the closing night featured a race in which the mare Bart B S ran a world record performance, covering 400 yards in 20.3 seconds to the delight of the crowd.

In 1955 fans of quarter horse racing flocked to see Go Man Go, a superstar of the circuit whose appearance led to packed out seats in the grandstand and a great wagering handle.

With the Vessels family having owned the track since its first ever meet, the 80’s and 90’s brought about great change with ownership moving around with great regularity until Ed Allred bought a 50% share in the track and things began to settle down.

In 1995 the Vessels Club was opened at a cost of $5,000,000 as well as that year heralding the beginning for the Los Alamitos $2million, a championship race for two-year-olds. Its huge purse meant that it has been recorded (in 2008) as being the richest race in the States outside of the Breeders’ Cup.

Los Alamitos Track Details

There is a one-mile dirt oval for thoroughbreds at Los Alamitos as well as a shorter, 5/8 mile quarter horse track running through the site also. No turf track exists and none is required.

Biggest Races

The Champion of Champions is the championship race for quarter horses, worth $750,000 and held over 440 yards each December at this track.

Place Your Los Alamitos Bets With TVG!

Now you know all about the track, don’t forget you can wager on races there with TVG. Head to our schedules page to check out the latest race times then bet and watch live!

Address

4961 Katella Ave, Cypress, CA 90630, USA

Contact

Orlando Gutierrez (larace@losalamitos.com)