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View Winners → Santa Anita postpones fall season opening because of Bobcat fire
San Gabriel Valley Sep 15, 2020
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Jockeys ease off their horses after crossing the finish line during a race at Santa Anita Park in 2013. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) Santa Anita has postponed this weekend’s opening of its autumn meeting for one week, until Sept. 25, because of the nearby Bobcat fire affecting the San Gabriel Valley. The combination of poor air quality and the track being used as an evacuation center precipitated the decision. “Our local community has been deeply impacted by the Bobcat fire burning for more than a week in the mountains behind us,” said Aidan Butler, acting executive director of California operations for the Stronach Group. “The current weather pattern has kept the smoke in the valley, and the air quality is quite poor now.” Santa Anita was supposed to open Saturday for two days of racing before going to a Friday through Sunday schedule for the remainder of the five-week season. The stakes races that were scheduled for this weekend will be added to the following weekend, which includes the biggest day of the meeting on Sept. 26. On that Saturday, there will be three Grade 1 races plus other graded stakes. “The smoke has impacted some training […]
