With storms coming, Santa Anita looks ‘OK’ for opening day

Under somewhat similar circumstances two years ago, Santa Anita made the pre-emptive move five days early to push back the beginning of its marquee winter-spring meet to Dec. 28 from its traditional day-after-Christmas opening. It was the first time since 1976 the track did not open on Dec. 26.

This time around – as things currently stand – Santa Anita plans to open as planned on Sunday.

“The track guys pay for a couple of different weather services that give them pretty good information, and right now they think we’re going to be OK,” Santa Anita general manager Nate Newby told Horse Racing Nation Tuesday. “If I remember right, (in 2019) it was expected to be pretty heavy rain on and around opening day. And it was pretty miserable, as I recall.

“But it doesn’t look like that’s the situation this time,” he added. “Obviously, if something changes drastically, then we’ll talk about what to do.”

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Santa Anita has been wary about racing in inclement conditions since its disastrous 2018-19 meet, during which 30 horses died.

The rash of deaths was at least partially attributed to the condition of the dirt track during an extremely wet winter by Southern California standards.

Typically on Tuesdays, Santa Anita does not allow timed workouts on the dirt track. But this week it was made available because of the forecast of rain later in the week. Newby stated the track likely would be closed for training on Friday after the storm arrives.

“We went ahead and opened for full training (Tuesday), knowing that we may lose a day,” Newby said. “We’ll see how it goes, but obviously we’re going to do what we need to do to make sure the track is protected for the opener.”

Santa Anita’s stakes-filled 11-race program includes six races on the turf course, which could be moved to the dirt if the rain proves too formidable. They include three of the six graded stakes on the program: the $300,000 American Oaks (G1), $200,000 San Gabriel (G2) and $200,000 Mathis Brothers Mile (G2).

On Sunday, the forecast calls for only a slight chance of rain with partly cloudy skies and a high of 55 degrees.

On-track patrons at Santa Anita will be required to show proof of vaccination from COVID or a negative test within 72 hours, per Los Angeles County’s rules covering events that include at least 10,000 attendees. Masks will be required except when drinking and eating.

“Los Angeles County calls those ‘mega-events.’ It’s very similar to the Rams, Chargers, USC, Dodgers – we all fall under the same rules – and opening day will definitely fall under that category,” Newby said. “Ticket sales are already really strong. We’re sold out in the restaurants, box seats, the suites, things like that. So we know we’re going to have a pretty strong day, and we’ll follow those guidelines.”

Santa Anita also has a nine-race program set for Monday, when a second storm is forecast to hit the area late in the day.