Forecasted Rain, but Racing Set for Opening Day at Santa Anita

Horsephotos

Though rain is forecast between this Sunday and opening day at Santa Anita, Dec. 26, racing that day is set to go ahead as scheduled, according to Aidan Butler, The Stronach Group (TSG)'s chief strategy officer.

“This morning, we got the updated weather radar, and it looks like Thursday's going to be good,” said Butler, about a day of racing that includes the GI Malibu S. and the GI La Brea S.

“As long as the track surfaces are deemed safe by the track team, we're going to be good. It's just a bit of a moving target,” Butler added. “The problem is, the weather out here can change on a dime. One minute you're good, the other you're not. But we're due a bit of luck, and hopefully the sun will be shining on us.”

The issue of how the track juggles race dates amid stormy periods has been a prickly one since the winter-spring meet earlier this year, when a spike in equine fatalities at the facility coincided with a sustained period of intermittently wet weather.

Indeed, this is something the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Task Force, which investigated these fatalities, noted in their concluding report, published Thursday: “issues arise in a track's consistency due to the complex decision making process when managing excess water and allowing the track to dry.”

In recent months, Santa Anita management have repeatedly mentioned how they would take a cautionary approach to training and racing during periods of inclement weather. As a further salve, the California Horse Racing Board back in August voted to allow the track to carve out for this upcoming winter-spring meet a three-week (12 racing programs) “flex dates” break of no racing if the weather is deemed unsuitable.

“The intent of Santa Anita management and all the players here is to announce these things as early as possible to give the horsemen and the fans as much opportunity to understand what's going on,” Butler said. “The earlier we can message things the earlier people can adapt.”

 

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