ARCADIA, Calif. - Ready or not, big-time racing returns to Southern California on Wednesday with the first of 32 programs at Santa Anita Park under the banner of the Oak Tree Racing Association.
Oak Tree, it should be noted, is the home of the Yellow Ribbon Invitational, the rich grass race for fillies and mares that was inaugurated in 1977 and named in the spirit of the popular song that triggers images of American soldiers fighting far from home, whether or not you are a fan of Tony Orlando and/or Dawn.