Workouts resume on main track

Full training resumed on the main track at Santa Anita on Wednesday for the first time since Dec. 31, a break caused by extensive rain.

There were 51 recorded works on the main track compared to 28 on the infield training track, which has a synthetic surface. In the last week, workouts had been restricted to the training track because of wet conditions.

Rain has plagued the opening weeks of the winter-spring meeting.

Santa Anita canceled six days of racing from Dec. 26 through Sunday because of extensive rain. Racing resumes on Thursday with a four-day racing week through Sunday. There are five days of racing scheduled from Jan. 15-19.

Among notable workouts on Wednesday, the 7-year-old horse Big City Lights worked six furlongs in 1:12 for a scheduled start in the $125,000 California Cup Sprint for statebreds at six furlongs on Jan. 17. A five-time stakes winner trained by Richard Mandella, Big City Lights won the 2025 Cal Cup Sprint.

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Tina Turner, a 4-year-old filly who has won 3 of 4 starts, worked five furlongs in 59.80 seconds. Trained by Steve Knapp, Tina Turner has been nominated for the $125,000 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Sprint for statebreds at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course on Jan. 17.

Castellanos, Hudnut reappointed to CHRB

Damascus Castellanos and Thomas Hudnut have been reappointed to the California Horse Racing Board, according to a statement released on Tuesday from the press office of Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Hudnut, who was president and chief executive officer of the prestigious Harvard-Westlake prep school in Los Angeles from 1987 to 2013, was first appointed to the racing board in 2022.

Castellanos, who has been a board member since 2020, is an executive with Teamsters Union Local 495.

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