Santa Anita Cancels Racing Jan. 3 Due to Expected Rain

Santa Anita Park canceled racing Jan. 3 due to anticipated heavy rain. A decision for Jan. 4 racing program will be made early Sunday morning to evaluate the most up-to-date forecast. Precipitation is also expected Sunday, but to a lesser degree than Saturday. About an inch of rain is forecast for Arcadia, Calif, where Santa Anita is located. California tracks operate under a strict inclement-weather policy that often results in cancellations during wet conditions. A makeup racing day will be added Thursday, Jan. 15. This is in addition to the previously announced addition of live racing on Thursday, Jan. 8 to the schedule. This marks the latest in a string of cancellations for Santa Anita, which was forced to delay its customary Dec. 26 opening day until Dec. 28. A crowd of 41,962 attended the rescheduled opening day, the largest crowd in nine years and the most for a Sunday opener since 1999. Winter is the rainy season in customarily dry Southern California, but the past two weeks in the region have been uncharacteristically wet.