San Luis Rey Training Center to welcome back horses in February

Officials at the San Luis Rey Training Center in Bonsall are getting ready to welcome back horses in early February.

Kevin Habell, general manager of the training center that had eight of its barns destroyed in the Dec. 7 Lilac fire, said demolition and cleanup of those barns was expected to be completed by the end of January.

Six barns that were not burned in the firestorm have been cleaned up and can accommodate 200 horses. Although those barns have been ready for occupancy for awhile, Habell and officials of The Stronach Group, which owns San Luis Rey, didn't want to open the training cente...