Santa Anita officials hope new surface sparks new interest

Santa Anita unveiled its new dirt surface on December 6 (Benoit Photos) A new season, new natural surface and renewed hope. Such are the elements Santa Anita Park officials hope will produce an elixir for horses, horsemen and fans alike as The Great Race Place embarks on its 74th season of racing on December 26. The winter/spring campaign runs 76 days, through April 17, 2011, and the meet features a return to an all-natural dirt main track consisting of 90 percent sand and 10 percent clay. The upcoming meet is also expected to include a 25 percent increase in purses from last season. These are just two of the reasons trainer Steve Asmussen has sent a portion of his sizeable and high-powered stable to compete on a regular basis at the Arcadia, California, track. “With Santa Anita going back to dirt and the increase in purses, it’s generated a spark of interest, and we wanted to be a part of it,” Asmussen explained. “We’re very early in the process. What will determine whether we will be able to measure this a success or not for us is how well our horses come out of here and what kind of year we have with them, because the majority are young horses.”

Among those “young horses” are soon-to-be three-year-olds Astrology (A.P.
Indy) and Tapizar (Tapit). Astrology won the Iroquois S. (G3) on October 31
before finishing second in the Kentucky Jockey Club S. (G2) on November 27, both
at Churchill Downs. Tapizar broke his maiden under the Twin Spires on November
27, schooling 11 rivals by 10 1/2 lengths on the wire.

“If they’re two (year olds), they’re Triple Crown hopefuls for me,” Asmussen
said with a laugh when asked if they were on his short list for the
three-year-old classics. “Astrology is out here and he’s a relatively
accomplished two-year-old. Tapizar is out here as well.”

“The surface seems good so far,” said Asmussen assistant Scott Blasi, who is
directing operations at Santa Anita. “We’ve breezed several over it and they all
got over it well. There are some unknowns, as far as how it will take water and
such, but I think it’s been very consistent.”

Trainer Kathy Walsh was also happy with the new dirt surface, which opened
for training on Monday, giving it two thumbs up.

“My help’s been very impressed with it, and everybody else seems to be,” the
veteran trainer said.

Santa Anita’s main track was comprised of synthetic material from September
2007 through October 11, when construction began on the new surface.

“It looks all positive to me at this time,” Walsh said. “I guess we have to
be a little reserved, but I sure am happy with it. The horses seem to glide over
it. I talked to some trainers who worked horses over it, and they’ve all come
back good. Overall, it’s the happiest I’ve seen one group of people in a long
time, and it’s rare to have that many people on the same page about one issue.”

Richard Tedesco, an integral member of the team that spearheaded installation
of Santa Anita’s new dirt main track, is encouraged by feedback from horsemen
with opening day drawing near.

“The horses are zipping over the track,” the veteran track superintendent
said Thursday morning, when there were 97 recorded workouts. “You can’t even
hear them; that’s the good thing. Yesterday we heard them a little bit, but I
cut the track slightly on the inside, went a little deeper, and then I set it
back up, and they’re doing fine.”

Tedesco is not one to rest on his laurels, though.

“We have the major work behind us, but now we’ve got a week of rain facing
us,” he said. “That’s the unknown, We’ve had rain, and the track handled it
well, but the latest weather forecast calls for maybe four or five inches.

“I would seal this track, just like we have other traditional dirt tracks. It
won’t seal like concrete, but it will seal tight.”