Despite poor air quality, Giant Expectations gets in a work

A massive wildfire in the mountains above Santa Anita has already led to the cancellation of two days of racing this weekend and poor air quality conditions continue to disrupt training.

There were no workouts Tuesday and 66 workouts on Wednesday in advance of the rearranged opening day of the autumn meeting on Sept. 25. The season is scheduled for 16 racing days through Oct 25.

Trainers have been advised by track management to check conditions each morning before deciding whether to work horses.

Two-time graded stakes winner Giant Expectations worked a half-mile in 48 seconds on Wednesday for a possible start in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship on Sept. 27, one of 12 stakes scheduled from Sept. 25-27. Three races scheduled for this weekend will be run from Sept. 25-27.

:: Want to get your Past Performances for free? Click to learn more.

Trainer Peter Eurton said Giant Expectations worked just in time before conditions began to deteriorate.

“It was getting bad,” he said. “It was at that brink of not being allowed to work. It was marginal whether I would do it.”

Trainer Bob Baffert worked two prominent horses. Spielberg, a maiden who was second in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity on Sept. 7, worked a half-mile in 47.80, while the 4-year-old filly Fighting Mad worked five furlongs in 1:00.80.

Spielberg is a candidate for the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes for 2-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on Sept. 26, while Fighting Mad is a likely starter in the Grade 2 Zenyatta Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on Sept. 27, Baffert said in a text message.

Fighting Mad won the Grade 1 Clement Hirsch Stakes for fillies and mares on Aug. 2 at Del Mar.