Santa Anita Postpones Meet Opening to Dec. 28 Due to Rain

Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, postponed the opening of its 89th winter-spring thoroughbred racing meet by two days to Sunday, December 28, due to forecasts of heavy rain across Southern California. The track, which traditionally begins the day after Christmas, made the decision to avoid racing on potentially unsafe muddy surfaces amid an atmospheric river expected to bring showers from Tuesday through Friday.

Track officials announced the change on Sunday, citing the need to protect horse safety and preserve the condition of the turf course. "With the amount of rain being forecast, it's important to make this call as early as possible to give everyone advance notice," said Nate Newby, Santa Anita's general manager. "Everyone looks forward to opening day as it's traditionally one of our biggest days of the year, so it's not a decision we make lightly. But after speaking with our stakeholders, adjusting the racing schedule at this time provides the best opportunity to have a great opening to kick off the season."

The revised schedule includes racing on December 28 and 29, followed by sessions on December 31 through January 4 to extend the holiday period. This marks the...