Santa Anita is one day short of the track record when racing was canceled for a second straight day yesterday.
Calling things off again today, when the Arcadia facility is to host four races of the Sunshine Millions, would tie the record and qualify as track President Ron Charles' worst nightmare. But the possibility exists.
Santa Anita received approximately 3½ inches of rain and approximately two inches of hail in the 48-hour period from Wednesday to yesterday morning.
It was exactly what was not needed on the drainage-deficient Cushion Track synthetic surface that forced shutting the place down Jan. 5-7.
As Charles said Thursday: “We're at the mercy of the weather.”
It was blustery with occasional showers at the storied Great Race Place near Pasadena yesterday afternoon. The forecast calls for more precipitation today, although how much and when is any meteorologist's guess.
The deadline for a go-or-no-go decision is ostensibly 10 this morning.
“Any decision we make will be in full consultation with trainers, owners, jockeys, officials and track maintenance personnel,” Charles said yesterday. “We realize that many people, including our fans and horsemen, are being inconvenienced by the uncertainty wrought by the current weather and track conditions . . .
“If we get a break in the weather, we will make every attempt to try and run.”
The Sunshine Millions consists of eight races restricted to California-or Florida-bred horses. The eight races have combined purses of $3.6 million.
Four are staged at Gulfstream Park in Florida and four at Santa Anita, on an alternating basis. Full TV coverage is to be provided by ESPNEWS (1-2 p.m. PST) and ESPN2 (2-3 PST).
All systems are go at Gulfstream. If Santa Anita has to cancel, its portion of the Sunshine Millions will be rescheduled at a later date.
Taking the optimist's approach that the show will go on on both coasts, here's a capsule look at the Sunshine Millions races, in order of occurrence.
Sprint (Gulfstream, $300,000, 6 furlongs, 11 entered, post 1:02 p.m.) – Benny the Bull was fourth in the Breeders' Cup Sprint in October, and Cobalt Blue won a non-BC sprint earlier on the same Monmouth Park program.
Filly & Mare Sprint (Santa Anita, $300,000, 6 furlongs, 10 entered, 1:14 p.m.) – Dearest Trickski has won four straight, starting in September at Del Mar.
Oaks (Gulfstream, $250,000, 6 furlongs, 11 entered, 1:35 p.m.) – Blitzing and American County come in off impressive last-out victories.
Filly & Mare Turf (Santa Anita, $500,000, 1 1/8 miles, 8 entered, 1:44 p.m.) – Nashoba's Key makes first start since career-starting seven-race win streak ended at BC Filly & Mare Turf.
Distaff (Gulfstream, $500,000, 1 1/8 miles, 12 entered, 2:02 p.m.) – Ginger Punch, Older Female Eclipse Award winner for 2007, makes 2008 debut looking to top $2 million career earnings mark.
Dash (Santa Anita, $250,000, 6 furlongs, 10 entered, 2:15 p.m.) – Georgie Boy makes first start since winning Del Mar Futurity on Sept. 7.
Turf (Gulfstream, $500,000, 1 1/8 miles, 12 entered, 2:32 p.m.) – Icy Atlantic, race runner-up to Lava Man in '07, targeted to make step up.
Classic (Santa Anita, $1 million, 1 1/8 miles, 14 entered, 2:46 p.m.) – Defending race champion McCann's Mojave facing deepest field in brief history of the event with Celtic Dreamin, Diamond Stripes and Electrify figuring as top betting favorites.
Hank Wesch: (619) 293-1853; hank.wesch@uniontrib.com
