Santa Anita Postpones Opening Day to Dec. 28

Santa Anita Park will postpone the opening day of its 83rd season two days until Saturday, Dec. 28, because of next week's declining weather forecast, the track announced Dec. 21.

"Opening day is traditionally one of our biggest days of the year, but our commitment to safety is first and foremost," said Aidan Butler, the acting executive director of California for The Stronach Group. "It was very important to make this call as early as possible for our horsemen, fans, and employees. There are many moving parts, especially in the training of these wonderful horses, and this decision is being made at this time out of respect to give all involved plenty of advance notice."

"It is very difficult to predict weather forecasts in Southern California more than 48 hours in advance," said Dennis Moore, who has returned to his responsibilities overseeing Santa Anita track surfaces. "Right now, they have rain Monday through Thursday morning. But the models are continuing to change, and when they do that, they are usually building up moisture."

It would be the first time since the 1976-77 winter season that Santa Anita has not opened Dec. 26. Santa Anita last opened Dec. 28 in 1976. Last year's opening day on-track attendance was 41,373, with an all-time opening day handle record of over $20 million.

"The stakes races set for Thursday will be brought back on Saturday," said Steve Lym, Santa Anita's vice president and director of racing. "With the rain in the forecast, it was extremely likely that the races would be off the turf on Thursday. Postponing opening day will allow for the high-quality turf racing synonymous with Santa Anita. We are planning on filling extra races throughout the opening week to give our horsemen the opportunity to run their horses."

Among the horses set to run is Fox Hill Farms' Omaha Beach , the likely heavy favorite in the Runhappy Malibu Stakes (G1), now set for Saturday.

"They are doing the right thing by moving the races," said Richard Mandella, Omaha Beach's Hall of Fame trainer. "I'm just very happy to be in the race with this horse."

The Malibu, seven furlongs for 3-year-olds, is one of five opening day stakes. The others are the La Brea Stakes (G1), seven furlongs for 3-year-old fillies; the San Antonio Stakes (G2), 1 1/16 miles for 3-year-olds and up; the Mathis Brothers Mile Stakes (G2T), a mile on the turf for 3-year-olds; and the Lady of Shamrock Stakes, a mile on the turf for 3-year-old fillies.

Entries for opening day will be drawn Monday, Dec. 23, which was scheduled to be the entry day for that Saturday.

Santa Anita's revised opening week schedule has live racing Dec. 28-29, Jan. 1, and Jan. 3-5.

First post time Saturday will be 11 a.m. PT.