The California State county of Solano, with a population across the county of 415,000, has held a County Fair since 1949. Planning for the Fair, on its 150 acre site, began as soon as the atrocities of the Second World War ended, but horse racing did not become an integral part of the Fair until 1951. The inaugural meeting was held on 16th June 1951 on a 7 furlong oval racetrack, with separate 6 furlong chute, sharing a 331 metre home straight. Over time the track offered quarter horse and thoroughbred racing, with the season culminating in the running of the Solano County Juvenile Filly Stakes. By the turn of the century the track was regularly staging 11 days racing annually, although crowds decreased amid competition from tracks in its near vicinity. It seemed likely in 2006 that the track would be destined for closure and its valuable land sold off for development, but it survived. However, its end did come on 26th July 2009 when the final race resulted in a dead heat between Haydensinahurry and Blue on Black. Although the land was sold for a purported 4.9 million dollars, it was not until 5th September 2018 that the grandstand and its outbuildings were finally demolished. |
