ClearSpan Rebuilds Horse Training Facility after Massive Fire
March 14, 2018
ClearSpan has begun wholesale renovation of San Luis Rey Downs Training Center after a devastating fire that occurred in December last year. The San-Diego based horse training track is set to reopen on April 1st, and a flurry of activity is currently underway at the construction site. The fire took the lives of 46 horses and destroyed seven barns, as well as almost half of the 495 stalls.
Graders are busy getting the ground ready for two large ClearSpan structures that will be home to nearly 250 horses. General Manager Kevin Habell said the buildings will run perpendicular to the barn that survived the fire. One of the barns will be 452 feet long and the other will be 352 feet long. Rows of modular stalls, tack rooms, and storage units can be configured to accommodate stabling demand inside. Because the ClearSpan buildings will utilize space more efficiently, Habell imagines space at the end for hotwalkers, walking rings and even living quarters for stablehands. The ClearSpan stalls will bring the training center up to its authorized capacity of just under 500 stalls.
Back in 2013, ClearSpan provided three Hercules Truss Arch Buildings for Gulfstream Park, one of the most prominent thoroughbred racing venues in the country, as well as the Laurel Park racetrack in Maryland. Habell disclosed that the soon-to-be ClearSpan horse barns will be similar to the ones at Laurel Park, all white, but with a more peaked roof.
The absence of flammable materials, such as wood, in ClearSpan buildings makes them less likely to catch on fire, and flame retardant cover material can be supplied. The rigid steel frames and fabric covers of ClearSpan structures are also equipped to withstand high winds and remain intact after natural weather events.
ClearSpan has a number of equine building experts on staff that can help arena owners create the ideal building and best footing material for their needs. For more information, call or Request a Quote