Santa Anita training track
 

According to an on air report from TVG, the Santa Anita training track will reopen Friday. Many trainers, including Hollendorf and Baffert. are currently using Los Alamitos for training. Still no word what will happen to the Derby preps.

https://www.horseracingnation.com/ne...utdown_end_123

Instagrand and Much Better to run in Gotham

Pook thanks for the compliant. If I can ever help you I'm available.


Good skill,
Mitch

Parts of this discussion related to climate change are moved here: http://paceandcap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12124


Ted

Tear it down a put in a poly track
 

https://www.latimes.com/sports/more/...outputType=amp

Save your horses please just tear it up and do it right .

I honestly feel that Stronach Group is doing everything they can to make it to April 6th (SA Derby and SA Oaks Day) with minimal incident, and once those races are run, finally entertain a radical fix. Part of the conundrum is that horsemen need to find preps (and points) for the Derby/Oaks, and shutting down indefinitely to gut out the track and rebuild complicates those plans and routines. In other words, they’re putting off on a long term fix in order to cater to the horsemen with a stake in the spring 3YO classics at the expense of the rest of the horse and horsemen population.

That said, I think Stronach Group hopes that they get the benefit of the doubt. Unfortunately, another breakdown or two... or three... may force their hand sooner than they wanted, and barring a change of venue, the SA Derby and Oaks (and Big Cap) get axed for this year.

SA suffered its' 22nd death this morning with a news crew on the scene to do a story on improved safety measures.
Tim

The response: Raceday meds - including Lasix - are now banned, among other measures taken. The Stronach Group issued a press release about an hour ago discussing it. This also applies to Golden Gate. I’d imagine that Gulfstream and Maryland will be next. Del Mar also considering these measures.

I guess reading between the lines, they are certain that the soundness of horses is mostly to blame. It will be interesting to see what this does to racing at these tracks. I wouldn’t be surprised if a horse shortage is in order shortly. The big story will be Breeders’ Cup this fall.

I don't know if they have any idea about the cause of the fatalities and trying anything to fix it. I could never figure out why so many horses were allowed to use Lasix in the first place. It's supposed to be for bleeders and there's no way in heck that evry horse put on it is a bleeder. If Fla & MD follow suit it will become very interesting what horseman will do. It's not very easy to pick up stakes and relocate. Even in NY stables are finding it difficult to race there due to high cost.
Tim

I can see the smaller California outlets either being forced to adapt to these changes, or going out of business. The larger outlets have the money to leave California, so it will be interesting to see if they stay or go. Either way, I think that Stronach and Co. are looking at a future consisting of smaller fields and possibly canceled dates due to horse shortages at the entry box.

What bothers me is that they maintain that the track surface is safe, yet are not being thorough and transparent as to what degree "safe" entails.

The announcement of the ban on raceday meds seems like a rash decision in the face of a very difficult situation, especially when larger, richer outfits can take their ball and go elsewhere.