SANTA ANITA ANNOUNCES WEEKEND RACE CARDS CANCELLED

By Mke Willman —-

SANTA ANITA ANNOUNCES WEEKEND RACE CARDS CANCELLED DUE TO A FORECAST OF UNPRECEDENTED WINTER CONDITIONS

ARCADIA, Calif. (Feb. 22, 2023)—Due to unprecedented winter conditions forecast for Southern California through this weekend, Santa Anita Park has cancelled Saturday and Sunday’s racing programs prior to entries being taken for either day. The track had already postponed the Friday racing card, which was a makeup day not originally on the calendar.

Blizzard warnings have been issued for the San Gabriel Mountains behind the historic track, with snowfall expected at the 1,000 foot level. It is the first blizzard warning ever issued in Los Angeles County. The storm, which is expected to begin late morning on Thursday, is forecast to drop six inches of rain through Saturday.

The decision to cancel both days out of an abundance of caution was made in consultation with industry stakeholders, including the Thoroughbred Owners of California, the California Thoroughbred Trainers Association, and the California Horse Racing Board.

In the judgement of the stakeholders, because the track will have been closed for training for at least two days because of the storm, the races were called off through the weekend to prioritize the safety of the competitors.

The main track and training track training schedule will be announced on a daily basis and will be open for training as the weather permits.
About The Stronach Group and 1/ST
The Stronach Group is a world-class technology, entertainment and real estate development company with Thoroughbred horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering at the core. The company’s consumer facing brand 1/ST (pronounced “First”) powers The Stronach Group’s forward-thinking 1/ST RACING & GAMING, 1/ST CONTENT, 1/ST TECHNOLOGY, 1/ST EXPERIENCE, and 1/ST PROPERTIES businesses, while advocating for and driving the 1/ST HORSE CARE mission. 1/ST represents The Stronach Group’s continued movement toward redefining Thoroughbred horse racing and the ecosystem that drives it. 1/ST RACING & GAMING drives the best-in-class horse racing operations and gaming offerings at the company’s premier racetracks and training centers including: Santa Anita Park, Golden Gate Fields and San Luis Rey Downs (California); Gulfstream Park – home of the Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series, Gulfstream Park West and Palm Meadows Thoroughbred Training Center (Florida); the Maryland Jockey Club at Laurel Park, Pimlico Race Course – home of the legendary Preakness Stakes, Rosecroft Raceway and Bowie Training Center (Maryland). 1/ST CONTENT is operating group for 1/ST’s media and content companies including: Monarch Content Management, Elite, TSG Global Wagering Solutions (GWS) and XBTV. 1/ST TECHNOLOGY is horse racing’s largest racing and gaming technology company offering world-class products via its AmTote, Xpressbet, 1/ST BET, XB SELECT, XB NET, PariMAX and Betmix brands. 1/ST EXPERIENCE blends the worlds of sports, entertainment and hospitality through innovative content development, elevated national and local venue management and hospitality, strategic partnerships, sponsorships, and procurement development. 1/ST PROPERTIES is responsible for the development of the company’s live, work and play communities surrounding its racing venues including: The Village at Gulfstream Park (Florida) and Paddock Pointe (Maryland). As the advocate for critical industry reforms and by making meaningful investments into aftercare programs for retired horses and jockeys, 1/ST HORSE CARE represents The Stronach Group’s commitment to achieving the highest level of horse and rider care and safety standards in Thoroughbred horse racing on and off the track. For more information, please visit www.1st.com or follow @1ST_racing on Twitter or @1stracing on Instagram and Facebook.