Santa Anita gets fall racing dates back
February 17, 2011ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) - The California Horse Racing Board has voted to transfer the fall racing dates back to Santa Anita instead of returning to Hollywood Park.
The board voted 6-0 at its meeting on Thursday to give the Sept. 28-Nov. 6 dates to Santa Anita. Board chairman Keith Brackpool says the decision only applies this year.
The dates had been run under the operation of the Oak Tree Racing Association since 1969 until last fall.
Oak Tree had worked out a one-year lease agreement for the 2010 meet at Santa Anita, but was forced to move to Hollywood Park in Inglewood when horsemen objected to the condition of Santa Anita's synthetic track. Santa Anita has since installed a new dirt track.
The fall meet at Santa Anita will be operated by the Pacific Racing Association, a subsidiary of parent company MI Developments, rather than Santa Anita's Los Angeles Turf Club, because of state rules governing the number of race dates that can be run.