Dream of Summer Stakes canceled due to lack of entries
ARCADIA, Calif. – California is in need of (older) California-bred stakes runners.
For the second time this year, Santa Anita has canceled a $100,000 stakes for statebreds because of insufficient entries. The Dream of Summer Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile was scheduled for Sunday, but did not draw an adequate field when entries were taken Thursday.
In 2017, the Dream of Summer Stakes drew a field of eight. Racing secretary Rick Hammerle said the Dream of Summer will not be rescheduled.
Earlier this year, the Tiznow Stakes for statebreds at a mile was canceled. The race was scheduled for March 4.
The next round of stakes for older statebreds, two $100,000 races at a mile on turf, are expected to draw adequate fields – the Fran’s Valentine Stakes for fillies and mares on May 19 and the Crystal Water Stakes on May 20.
The track has three graded stakes on the weekend of April 21-22. There are two stakes on April 21 – the Grade 2 Kona Gold Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs and the Grade 3 American Stakes at a mile on turf.
The April 22 program is led by the Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano Handicap at about 1 3/4 miles on turf.
Breakfast benefit for Valenzuela
A charity pancake breakfast will be held at Santa Anita on Thursday in support of exercise rider Adrian Valenzuela and his family.
Valenzuela, 21, suffered a spinal cord injury in a spill during morning training March 31 at Santa Anita. The accident left the former jockey with partial paralysis.
The $10 breakfast will be at Clocker’s Corner beginning 10 a.m. and will be accompanied by a raffle and silent auction. All proceeds will go to Valenzuela, the track announced.
Los Alamitos sets summer schedule
Los Alamitos will have three four-day weeks of racing for its summer meeting from June 28 to July 15, a track official said Thursday.
Racing will be on a Thursday-through-Sunday basis the weeks of June 28 to July 1 and July 12-15. During the second week of the meeting, racing will be on Wednesday, July 4, and from July 6-8. There will be no racing July 5.
There were discussions in recent weeks about opening the meeting on June 29, but a four-day racing-week plan was chosen.
