On opening day, a nod to the past while looking toward the future

ARCADIA, Calif. – Never mind the calendar.

The opening day of the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting on Tuesday reflects the start of a new racing year in Southern California.

The first day of the Santa Anita meeting is one of the most widely anticipated programs of the year and is the launch of a season highlighted by Southern California’s preps for the Triple Crown. There are 38 graded stakes during the winter-spring meet at Santa Anita, which has the scenic San Gabriel Mountains for a backdrop.

This year, in particular, there is a sense of renewal for a Southern California racing community reeling from a wildfire that cost the lives of 46 horses at the San Luis Rey Downs training center in Bonsall, Calif., on Dec. 7. A memorial for them will be part of Tuesday’s opening day.

The nine-race opening-day program, which begins at noon Pacific, is packed with top-class races, including four graded stakes – the Grade 1 Malibu, Grade 1 La Brea, Grade 2 San Antonio, and Grade 2 Mathis Brothers Mile. Track officials expect a crowd of more than 30,000 for the first Tuesday opening since 2006, when 32,931 were in attendance. The 2016 opening day drew a crowd of 46,514 on a Monday.

“If we get something in the mid-30s, I think we’ll be happy,” said Nate Newby, the track’s director of marketing.

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There are new betting options this meet. The track has added a 50-cent pick five for the final five races. There is a popular 50-cent pick five with a takeout of 14 percent on the first five races. The late pick five will have a takeout of 23.68 percent. It remains to be seen how bettors will respond to the difference in takeout rates.

For the first time, the $1 super high five will be offered on all races with eight or more starters. If the bet is not hit, there will be a carryover to the next eligible race.

The winter-spring meeting runs until April 8, followed by a spring-summer meeting from April 13 to June 24.

Tuesday’s program averages more than 10 entries per race, with 94 runners in the nine races, including four on the also-eligible list.

Maintaining healthy field size is crucial for the success of the season. Earlier this year, the track canceled four days of racing in April and June because of insufficient entries. To avoid short fields early in the meeting, the racing schedule is light during the first three weeks. After Tuesday’s program, racing resumes Friday for four days through Jan. 1. The following week, racing will be held from Friday-Sunday. Typically, racing is conducted Thursdays-Sundays during the meet.

“We’ve taken a nice, sensible schedule,” said Rick Hammerle, the track’s vice president and director of racing. “I think this will extend the quality and quantity well into January.”

Tuesday’s forecast is for temperatures in the low 70s, with no rain expected. There was record rainfall in California last winter, leading to the cancellation of three days of racing in the early months of the year.

Tuesday’s card will be the first racing in Southern California since Dec. 17, the final day of the Los Alamitos meeting. The brief gap between racing days could boost entries, Hammerle said.

“I think the break will help,” he said. “There are a lot of positive feelings coming into this.”