JC / Railbird

Santa Anita Archive

SA Cancels, Gets ’09 BC

Santa Anita president Ron Charles had “expected that a limited number of horses” would be able to work over the repaired Cushion Track surface this morning, but a peek at the workout webcam shows a busy scene on the inner training track and a main track that looks far from renovated. Racing has been canceled for Friday and will resume on Saturday (with a pick six carryover of $181,514) over a surface treated with Pro-Ride polymers, which should cure the track of its disastrous drainage problems and boost the cushion to a 7 1/2-inch depth, meaning an end to the freakishly fast fractions posted earlier in the meet.
Despite Santa Anita’s troubles, and the odd timing for such an announcement, Breeders’ Cup officials on Thursday declared Santa Anita the site of the 2009 Cup, making it the first track to host consecutive runnings of the event and granting much credibility to synthetic surfaces, even those that don’t perform as advertised. Although weather, marketing, and the savings of keeping temporary seating in place are being cited as possible reasons for the decision, it seems likely that the Breeders’ Cup just didn’t have many options, what with Gulfstream’s crowd-hostile renovations, the ongoing franchise drama in New York, and Churchill execs’ churlish complaints about inadequate Cup revenues (“Churchill makes what it would on a regular Saturday — or a little more, track President Steve Sexton has said“). Given all that, Santa Anita probably looked like the only workable choice, even with 11 days lost to an uncertain surface.
According to the BC president, though, that wasn’t the case at all. “Los Angeles is the second-largest media market … and we’re trying to expand into a broader sports and entertainment event,” said Avioli. “An added benefit is that L.A. is the entertainment capital of the world. In addition, we have a wonderful television window when we’re on the West Coast, and we work very well with Oak Tree” (Blood-Horse). Ah, so the decision was about TV coverage. That’s a positive spin on a decision that throws the industry’s problems into harsh relief.

Posted in Santa Anita on February 8, 2008

A Picture Worth $106.80

It’s rare to see a Bob Baffert trainee go to post at odds anything like 52-1, rarer still to see such a longshot win like Air Commander did in today’s San Fernando Stakes: The 4-year-old Point Given colt, making his third start off a freshening following a second place finish in last year’s San Felipe, stalked Johnny Eves into the stretch, then dueled to the wire, prevailing by the narrowest of noses. Favored Tiago finished third while gaining in the stretch, proving again he prefers greater distance than the 1 1/16 miles he had to run this afternoon. Props to DRF handicapper Dan Illman for picking the upset winner during the OTB channel’s live handicapping show. Nice work, Dan!

Posted in Santa Anita on January 12, 2008

Santa Anita Cancels

No live racing at the Great Race Place today: Heavy rains overnight have left the so-called all-weather Cushion Track in unsafe condition, much as track officials feared (DRF).

Posted in Santa Anita on January 5, 2008