ARCADIA (CNS) - With rains predicted over the next several days, Santa Anita Park today announced it has canceled its Friday racing program.
Friday's entries were originally scheduled to close this past Sunday, but track management opted to wait until today to better evaluate the weather forecast.
Track officials also said that, given the forecast, two turf stakes races -- the Grade II San Marcos on Saturday and the $75,000 Baffle on Sunday -- will be shifted to next week.
The six-furlong Baffle will be run on Friday, Feb. 5, and the mile-and-one quarter San Marcos will now be run on Saturday, Feb. 6.
“The models are showing us three straight days of rain, with the heaviest hitting around noon on Friday,'' Nate Newby, Santa Anita senior vice president and general manager, said in a statement.
“We've discussed it with our stakeholders, and cancelling Friday in advance provides horsemen, fans and employees the best scenario to plan accordingly.''
Santa Anita will schedule extra races throughout the next racing week to make up for those that were originally scheduled for this Friday, officials said.
With entries scheduled to be taken Wednesday, racing will resume at Santa Anita this Saturday.
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