Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com

For the first time in a long time, the Humboldt County Fair will have sole possession of the Northern California horse racing spotlight when the racing action gets under way on Friday.

The 128th meet on Ferndale’s historic half-mile track opens in the afternoon at 3:15 p.m. bolstered with plenty of saddle bags full of optimism.

With the Golden Gate Fields race track in the Bay Area having closed its doors after an 87-year run, there will be no overlap racing with Humboldt for the first time in decades, and Ferndale plans to take advantage.

This year’s racing features an expanded schedule with three weekends and a total of eight days of action.

In addition to opening weekend, there will also be three days of racing on Labor Day weekend, as well as two days on Sept. 7 and 8 to close out the session.

This year also features the most ambitious purse schedule in its history, highlighted by the $50,000 C.J. Hindley-Humboldt County Marathon Handicap on the final weekend.

In addition, there will be five $25,000 allowances races at five and seven furlong distances.

According to meet organizers, this year’s Ferndale races also features arguably the best roster of jockeys in recent history, headed by seven-time champ Hugo Herrera, Oregon “Bullring” King Jake Samuels, and recent Alameda County Fair titlist Adrian Castellanos.

Meet organizers are also expecting “another stellar list of trainers” that include defending champ Isidro Tamayo, multiple-time runner-up Gary Greiner, who is making his 51st trip to Ferndale, former champ Teri Beckner and recent State Fair meet co-leader Jesus Ramos.