FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Horse racing is heading back to the Fresno Fairgrounds, but this time with a different kind of trot.
The Big Fresno Fair said harness racing is coming back to Fresno after nearly 100 years. They also announced a two-year partnership with Watch and Wager, a state-approved operator, which will bring 38 race days to Fresno from December 2026 to May 2027.
“It’s like a little buggy in the back. So you don’t have a jockey, so you have the harness in the back. And that’s how they’re kind of trot trotting through the track,” Big Fresno Fair CEO Christina Estrada said.
Fresno County Supervisor Luis Chavez represents the area and says harness racing is a unique experience.
“It’s kind of reminiscent of the Roman era. They had chariot races, and you have that similar setup and it’s a track of about a mile or so,” Supervisor Luis Chavez said.
The announcement came after live horse racing was stopped completely in 2025.
“We just didn’t have the operator, you know, the operator to run horse racing,” Estrada said.
State regulators did not continue races after a string of deaths and injuries.
“There were some injuries and, you know, some of the horses that got hurt. And I think that just kind of prompted folks that, you know, kind of put a pause on it. Not to say our track was in any way, shape or form, you know, involved or responsible for any of that,” Chavez said.
Now, the fair is aiming to become California’s harness racing hub, which would bring new crowds to old traditions.
“We’ve had, you know, horse racing since the late 1800’s. And it’s always been a tradition for the Fresno Fair,” Chavez said. He added that more events at the fairgrounds mean more business for the rest of Fresno.
“The Fresno Fair has over 250 plus events on a yearly basis. We see our restaurants full. We see our stores, you know, being patronized and small businesses for us,” Chavez said.
Estrada said more details about the race days will be released in the summer. Chavez said the announcement could also be a sign that traditional horse racing may one day return, too.
