Santa Anita autumn meeting gets off to delayed start

A week later than expected, Santa Anita starts a five-week autumn meeting on Friday under conditions largely similar to what was in place when the track’s winter-spring meeting ended in June.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, Santa Anita will race without spectators at a picturesque venue that will largely serve as a television studio through the end of the season on Oct. 25.

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The view from the track was not very pleasant earlier this month when a raging wildfire in nearby mountains led to the cancellation of racing on Sept. 19-20.

The massive wildfire, more than 117,000 acres in size, is not under control, but has moved away from the mountains closest to the racetrack. Better air quality allowed training to resume in the last week. Smoke from the fire kept most horses from morning activity for nearly a week in the middle of the month.

Because of the canceled days, the Friday through Sunday programs this week include 12 stakes, including 10 graded events. Throughout the first two weeks of the season there are stakes with implications for Breeders’ Cup races on Nov. 6-7 at Keeneland.

“Regardless of the circumstances in the outside world, this is a fresh start for us,” said Aidan Butler, executive director of California racing for the track’s parent company, The Stronach Group.

“We’ve had a forced break because of the fires. I’m cautiously optimistic we’ll have a good end of the meeting.”

Saturday, there are seven stakes worth a combined $1.475 million, by far the richest program of the 16-day season. The three Grade 1 races of the meeting will be run Saturday, all with $300,000 purses – the Awesome Again Stakes for 3-year-olds and up, the American Pharoah Stakes for 2-year-olds, and the Rodeo Drive Stakes for fillies and mares on turf.

Wagering will largely be conducted through account-wagering sources. Simulcast locations include Los Alamitos Racecourse and satellite facilities at bars and restaurants.

Owners will be allowed to attend on days in which they have horses entered. The track has initiated a policy of allowing as many as two licensed owners per horse. Unlicensed guests will not be permitted.

To attend, owners must make reservations through the Thoroughbred Owners of California, similar to a policy that was in place during the Del Mar summer meeting. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, face coverings and social-distancing practices are mandatory for owners, who must go through a temperature check upon entering the track.

Jockeys are no longer being quarantined on race nights in temporary housing on Santa Anita property, a policy in place in the final weeks of the winter-spring meeting.

While racing continues, the immediate outlook for spectators is less encouraging. California has a tiered reopening system for businesses as coronavirus cases decrease. Racetracks, which fall into the same categories as sports stadiums and concerts, are in the last of four tiers.