Santa Anita Interested in Hollypark Dates

Bob Strub said that Santa Anita will consider expanding its racing season if there is a movement to take dates away from Hollywood Park.

“We would be interested,” said Strub, Santa Anita’s board chairman. “It certainly could be a possibility.”

Many trainers have suggested that Hollywood Park’s dates be reviewed by the California Horse Racing Board, which allocates dates. Traditionally, the main seasons at the tracks are from Dec. 26 until mid-April at Santa Anita, and from mid-April until late July for Hollywood Park. Both tracks run shorter, consecutive fall meetings, Santa Anita’s under the auspices of the Oak Tree Racing Assn.

R.D. Hubbard, board chairman of Hollywood Park, said late last year that at least 100 trainers signed an informal pact that could lead to their applying for Hollywood Park’s racing dates after this year.

“They might apply for dates, but where would they run them?” Hubbard said recently. “They’d still need a racetrack.”

Strub wouldn’t speculate about how many dates Santa Anita might be willing to add to its schedule. A typical winter season for the track is about 90 days.

Hubbard, reached Wednesday night, would not comment on Strub’s remarks.

The horsemen who seek a movement away from racing at Hollywood Park are concerned about the track’s future.

“The reality is that Hollywood Park’s location severely inhibits its potential comeback as a major racing center in the United States,” trainer Darrell Vienna said. “There were 9,000 people at Hollywood Park on closing day in December, and more than 40,000 people at Santa Anita on opening day a couple of days later.

“Now Hollywood Park is planning to open a card club, saying that this will gain some customers for racing. This is a false argument. You can’t demonstrate to me one instance where racing will benefit from a card club.”