After several days of reflection and confrontation with the forecast is getting more and more bleak every daySanta Anita officials have decided to move the opening day of the 2025-26 racing meet from Friday to Sunday, Dec. 28.
This is only the second time since 1976 that Santa Anita will not open the day after Christmas. The second time was in 2019 for the same reason: wet weather. Santa Anita is forecast to receive more than eight inches of rain Tuesday night through Friday.
“With the amount of rain forecast, it is important to make this call as early as possible to give everyone advance notice,” Santa Anita General Manager Nate Newby said in a statement. “Everyone looks forward to opening day as it is traditionally one of our biggest days of the year, so this is not a decision we have made lightly. But after speaking with our stakeholders, adjusting the racing schedule at this time provides the best opportunity to have a great opening day to start the season.”
There are no state rules against racing on dirt or softer turf, but protocols put in place following the 2018-19 winter-spring meeting, in which 30 horses died while racing or training at Santa Anita, often result in races being postponed or canceled. days.
Opening Day typically draws the largest crowd of the year to Santa Anita. Last year, announced attendance at the track was 41,562, the highest for an opening day on a non-weekend or holiday since 1990. Total mutual attendance was over $21.4 million, the third-highest first-day figure ever.
The 11 races scheduled for Friday will now take place two days later, with the first post at 11am. There are six stakes races scheduled for opening day, three on turf, and Santa Anita officials hope waiting until Sunday will allow the grass to dry enough to allow racing.
Tickets purchased for opening day will be honored on December 28th with full refunds available upon request. The revised schedule for the first two weeks will see racing taking place on December 28 and 29, and then every day from Wednesday, December 31 to Sunday, January 4.
