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Fair Grounds promotes Zavala to track superintendent
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| Pedro Zavala has experience in managing the Fair Grounds dirt track and turf course
(Fair Grounds Race Course) |
Pedro Zavala has been named as the new track superintendent at Fair
Grounds, it was announced Monday. The 26-year-old served as assistant
track superintendent at Fair Grounds for the past five years following
three years on the track crew at Arlington Park."As we interviewed candidates from around the world, it became
increasingly clear that the man for the job was the one who already knew
our surfaces the best," Fair Grounds Vice President and General Manager
Eric Halstrom said.
"Pedro has proven to be a knowledgeable, passionate and committed
member of our team. His expertise has already been demonstrated this
year in the way he has managed the dirt and turf courses since the New
Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival." Zavala has overseen the Fair Grounds' one-mile dirt oval and seven-furlong
Stall-Wilson Turf Course since shortly after the conclusion of the 2009-2010
Thoroughbred racing season in March.
He will continue supervising the installation of a new state-of-the-art
sprinkler system for the turf course that will be in place in time for the
2010-2011 Thoroughbred racing season, which will revert to its traditional
opening day on Thanksgiving, November 25. |
Zavala, a native of Guanajuato, Mexico, has worked under three previous Fair
Grounds track superintendents.
"At Fair Grounds you have some of the best horses in the world racing and
training over your surfaces, so it's a real honor but also a huge
responsibility," Zavala said. "Our dirt track has a long reputation as a safe
one that keeps horses sound and gets them unusually fit. That's a reputation I
intend to preserve."
Live racing returns to Fair Grounds when the 10-day 2010 Quarter Horse racing
season opens September 14. Later in the year, the track plays host to the Bank
of America Challenge Championships on November 19, and the Thoroughbred season
opens its 84-day stand on Thanksgiving.
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