Barretts Equine Limited and Fairplex Park have been combined and renamed
Barretts Sales & Racing. The internationally renowned Thoroughbred auction house
and the racetrack name change is effective immediately and will encompass equine
auctions, the racetrack, the live racing meet held each September, the pavilion
and the barns.
“This is very exciting news for equine business at Fairplex. Barretts Sales &
Racing will gain more momentum in the horse industry along with a strong message
that if it’s equine, it’s Barretts,” said Jim Henwood, President and CEO of the
Los Angeles County Fair Association. “The new name, logo and brand offer a
cohesive identification of the various equine businesses and capitalize on the
already strong Barretts reputation in the racing industry.”
To be referred to as Barretts Race Meet at Fairplex from now on, Fairplex
Park was the first track in Southern California to allow fans to bet on racing
when pari-mutuel wagering was legalized in 1933. The track boasted a 7.95
percent increase in handle in 2012 and will be celebrating its 75th race meet,
September 6-22.
Barretts was formed in 1989 and opened with its inaugural March Sale of
Selected Two-Year-Olds in Training the following year. The prestigious auction
company plays host to six sales annually, including The Paddock Sale at Del Mar,
which this year will be July 21, and the recently added Winter Paddock Sale at
Santa Anita, scheduled for December 28.
Barretts is the leading auction facility west of the Mississippi and
maintains an international reputation bringing quality horses into Southern
California. The Barretts catalog accounts for 16-20 percent of all starts in
California for the past 20 years. Barretts’ first sale of 2013, the January
Mixed Sale, surpassed 2012 figures with gross sales up 56 percent and showing
across-the-board gains.
“This is a brand that resonates within the industry and strongly unites
equine sales and horse racing under the Barretts umbrella. Barretts is well
known and respected throughout the equine industry and this move shows our
commitment to horse racing,” said Kim Lloyd, general manager of Barretts Sales &
Racing. “The new name clearly represents our business and our dedication to
excellence in equine sales and horse racing.”
The announcement coincides with the 24th Barretts Sales & Racing’s March Sale
of Selected Two-Year-Olds in Training, taking place March 4. Visit
barretts.com for more
information.
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