Santa Anita cancels live racing; work to begin on Cushion Track

Santa Anita cancels live racing; work to begin on Cushion

Track

Work on adding the polymer binder (background) to Santa Anita's Cushion Track was set to begin Sunday (Benoit Photo) Santa Anita Park was forced to cancel yet another live racing program on Sunday due to wet weather conditions. After conferring with jockeys, trainers and track maintenance personnel, the decision to cancel was made at 8:45 a.m. (PST). First post had been set for 11 a.m. to accommodate the Super Bowl. "This decision was really made for the safety of the horses and riders," Santa Anita President Ron Charles said. "We also want to get the track done. If you weigh everything, it was an easy call. "As a racing fan, we really would have liked to race today. It might have been possible to get one or two races in, but with the safety issue, and too much water accumulating in certain areas, this is not a dirt track where we can manipulate a lot of it. Hopefully, this is the last day we're going to have to do this." The San Antonio H. (G2), which was set to run on Sunday, has been rescheduled to February 9, according to racing secretary Rick Hammerle.

The synthetic Cushion Track has been beset by drainage problems, wreaking

havoc with the Winter/Spring meet. The January 5, 6 and 7 cards were rained out,

and then a deluge of rain and hail forced the cancellation on January 24 and 25.

A break in the weather, and Herculean efforts by the maintenance crew, got the

track into shape for the January 26 Sunshine Millions, but officials were once

again forced to cancel on January 27 and 28 when more storms hit the Arcadia,

California, area.

A polymer binder manufactured by the Australian firm Pro-Ride will be added to the Cushion Track to remedy the drainage issues. Work was set

to begin Sunday afternoon and continue into next week. To facilitate the work,

Santa Anita had already canceled Monday's and Thursday's cards.

Live racing is scheduled to resume on Friday, with the $181,514 Pick 6

carryover awaiting handicappers. Simulcasting will be available Sunday,

Wednesday and Thursday, with free general admission offered to all fans. The track will be closed for simulcasting on Monday and Tuesday.

"We're still shooting for (racing) next Friday," Charles added. "I have a

feeling we're going to know pretty well where we're going to be either by Monday

afternoon or Tuesday morning as to how good Friday looks."

Santa Anita's meet runs through April 20.