Playfair Renovations: And They’re Off!

Work on the first phase of a $150,000 upgrade at Playfair Race Course started Tuesday.

The safety rail is expected to be in place at the Spokane track by Nov. 18, director of racing Ted Martin said.

The old rail at the 61-year-old facility is being removed this week.

“They hope to have it pulled out by the weekend,” said Rich Fontana of Alta Loma, Calif., the developer of the Fontana safety rail. “If that’s the case we’ll send a surveyor up there to put the blue tops in for the banking (of the track surface). He’ll finish that over the weekend.

“Then we hope for a couple of days of dry weather so we can move the dirt around. We’re hoping that’s finished by next weekend.”

Installation of the rail could begin Nov. 4, Fontana said.

With last week’s cancellation of the Apple Tree Turf Associates winter meet at Yakima, the state racing commission is expected to take another look at the feasibility of winter racing in Spokane.

Should the commission approve dates at Playfair, track officials say they’ll be ready for a winter season.

Yakima Meadows was to operate from Nov. 22 through March 23, with simulcasting state-wide. Playfair requested those dates last week, after the Yakima association announced that it was stepping down.

The tight turns of the 5-furlong Spokane oval are to be banked, and drainage is expected to be improved as part of the $150,000 project.

Martin, who is also vice-president of New Playfair Park, Inc., said he was “saddened by the fact that Yakima won’t run, but at the same time that did open a window for us.”

Martin said horsemen outside Spokane may begin to see advantages in running in Spokane, rather than extending the season at Emerald Downs in Auburn.

“It cost $35 to $38 a day (to board and train a horse) over there,” Martin said. “Here’s it’s $20 to $25 for basically the same purse money.”

At issue is whether the racing commission, after rejecting the Muckleshoot Tribal Council’s bid to assume operations here, will grant racing dates to the current license holder who is backed by Muckleshoot money.

Former Playfair GM Dan Hillyard requested Yakima’s dates for Playfair.

Tribe names manager

Jeff Garber, batting coach for the 1996 Spokane Indians, has been named the team’s new manager.

The Kansas City Royals, Spokane’s parent club, announced no other coaching positions for the ‘97 Northwest League team.

The Royals promoted ‘96 Indians manager Bob Herold to Lansing (Mich.) of the Class A Midwest League. Herold’s pitching coach in Spokane, Buster Keeton, has been assigned to the Gulf Coast League.

College basketball

Senior center Nate Gardner, who averaged 5.2 rebounds and 6.2 points in three seasons, has decided to leave the University of Idaho basketball team.

Gardner averaged 5.2 rebounds and 6.2 points in 83 games during his three-year career at Idaho.

, DataTimes