By Dan Ross
Due to the threat of a nearby wildfire Tuesday, the horses stabled at the San Luis Rey Downs training center in Bonsall, San Diego County, were evacuated and sent elsewhere, largely to Del Mar racetrack.
By Tuesday afternoon, the nearby Lilac Fire had burned through 80 acres and was 30% contained, according to Cal Fire.
“We are still at the same level 2 evacuation warning status so we will continue to monitor the situation and the wind,” Santa Anita general manager Nate Newby wrote in a text Tuesday afternoon, adding that he hoped the “wind stays away.”
In the morning as the first batch of San Luis Rey's roughly 275 horses were being evacuated, Newby estimated the fire was roughly three to four miles away from the training center, which is owned by The Stronach Group.
Del Mar is currently in the middle of its off season. Tom Robbins, Del Mar's executive vice president of racing and industry relations, said Tuesday morning he hoped the training track would be ready for use within 48 hours.
Del Mar Thoroughbred Club is working with @santaanitapark to evacuate the San Luis Rey training center.
For large animal evacuation public shelter information please visit https://t.co/Bh9f6jljxT or call the County Department of Animal Services at (619) 236 2341. pic.twitter.com/RTfueNAWH4
— Del Mar Racetrack (@DelMarRacing) January 21, 2025
Though the main track is currently sealed, Robbins said they are also in the process of opening the surface up for training. However, it wouldn't be ready for use before the training track, he said.
“That's a greater process than getting the training track ready, with equipment and personnel and everything else,” said Robbins.
“Hopefully the fire will be contained so that in a few days they can all go back. But we're preparing for the worst,” said Robbins, in the morning. “They're just rolling in right now.”
Newby wrote that by 3pm PT Tuesday afternoon, all the horses had been evacuated from the training center.
“It's been very organized,” said Robbins by Tuesday afternoon, of the evacuation. “Everything has gone as good as could be expected.”
In December of 2017, a wildfire ripped through the San Luis Rey training center. Forty-six horses died, and multiple barns were severely damaged.
The latest threat to the training facility follows on the heels of some of the worst fires to have devastated Los Angeles.
They include the Palisades Fire, on the west side of the city, and the Eaton Fire focused on the northeastern suburb of Altadena, a community in the San Gabriel Mountain foothills where many of Santa Anita's racetrack community live. Together, they have burned through some 38,000 acres.
Those who have lost their homes in the fires include several from the Santa Anita racetrack community.
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