Santa Anita Considers Return of Downhill Turf Sprints

There's a chance the 6 1/2-furlong downhill sprint races at Santa Anita Park, popular with horsemen and bettors, could return at the fall meeting that begins Sept. 25.

Speaking at the California Horse Racing Board meeting July 18 in Del Mar, Calif., Tim Ritvo, COO of racing and gaming for Santa Anita owner The Stronach Group, said track officials are considering offering downhill sprints at the upcoming meet. At Thursday's meeting, the CHRB voted to require any such return to downhill sprints first be approved by its executive director, Rick Baedeker.

Santa Anita was plagued by equine breakdowns at the meet that concluded June 23. In early April, the track stopped offering turf sprints down the hill after Arms Runner suffered a catastrophic breakdown in the San Simeon Stakes (G3T). Arms Runner broke down on the dirt portion of the course, where the outer turf crosses the main track to return runners to the main turf course.

Ritvo told the CHRB Thursday that track officials examined 10 years of data on the downhill sprints and noticed occasional spikes in equine injuries associated with the races, especially with the crossover portion of the course. While those concerns were noted, Ritvo added there were also years where the downhill sprints did not have such issues.

At Thursday's meeting, CHRB vice chairman Madeline Auerbach first asked about the possible return of downhill sprints when she noticed they were listed in the outline of the stakes schedule in the track's submission requesting fall race dates. 

"As of this time, we're scheduling (the downhill sprints) as is because we're going to look at coming back down the hill for select turf races," Ritvo said. "So for right now, we're putting it in the schedule."

CHRB chairman Chuck Winner noted there is a lot of concern about the sprints on the hillside course, and Ritvo said he'd be good with the requirement that returning such races to the schedule first be approved by Baedeker.

Breeders' Cup president and CEO Craig Fravel, who attended the meeting, said Breeders' Cup has decided to use the five-furlong configuration for both the Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2T) and the Turf Sprint (G1T) scheduled for Nov. 1-2 at Santa Anita. 

Board member Alex Solis and Jockeys' Guild West Region regional manager Darrell Haire said the five-furlong configuration has had problems with crowding and horses going wide into the turn. Haire said the inside corner going into the turn is too sharp for horses to handle without going wide.

Ritvo noted the crowding problem could be reduced by extending these races to 5 1/2 furlongs. 

"To ease the speed going into that turn, we are building a chute similar to the one at the quarter pole, where we would break on the dirt and run onto the turf course," Ritvo said. "At the end of the seven-eighths pole, we're going to open up the rail ... to where you're going to be able to start your 5 1/2-furlong races on the dirt rather than on the turf course. It gives you an extra half-furlong going into the turn."

Fravel said he had not heard criticism about the five-furlong configuration and that Breeders' Cup will work with Santa Anita officials on any issues. Later asked about the 5 1/2-furlong option, Fravel said Breeders' Cup was committed to five furlongs.

In the long term, Ritvo said The Stronach Group is even considering moving the turf course outside the dirt track. That complete overhaul would eliminate the need for the crossover in 6 1/2-furlong races. That plan, of course, would not be an option for the upcoming fall meet.