Turf racing picking up with arrival of dry weather

After a series of storms at Christmastime that disrupted turf racing, conditions have improved at Santa Anita in the early days of January leading to greater use of the turf course.

On Friday and Saturday’s programs, five of the nine races are scheduled for turf. The forecast in the next week is for dry weather.

“The demand is there for the turf,” racing secretary Chris Merz said Thursday.

Through Sunday, the fifth day of the season, Santa Anita had run 49 races, with only 14 on turf. There was no turf racing on the Dec. 26 opening day, and three turf races on Dec. 27. Turf racing resumed last Saturday and Sunday after an all-dirt program on Dec. 31.

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By comparison, the turf course was used in 29 of 57 races at the start of the 2020-21 meeting, a season largely conducted under dry conditions.

The track is planning five turf races for the Jan. 15 program, which consists of races for California-breds, including three stakes on turf.

“We’re looking to have a big day there,” Merz said.

Through Sunday, fields at the meet have averaged 7.2 runners per race compared to 8.2 at a similar time last year. Turf races have averaged 9.0 runners. Dirt races have averaged 6.4 runners per race this year, compared to 7.4 at a similar time last year.

There is an acute shortage of dirt runners at Santa Anita.

Merz said field sizes have been hampered by a virus that has affected some horses.

“Our field size isn’t what we thought it would be,” he said. “I think it’s the combination of the weather, the virus, and people missing training.

“Some horses we were counting on have gotten sick.”