OAK TREE : New Turf to Be Used in Feature

For the second time in seven years, Santa Anita will unveil a new turf course when the 27th Oak Tree meeting begins today.

In a $2.3-million project that began the day after the 1994-95 Santa Anita meeting ended April 24, the hillside and inner turf courses were re-sodded, the base having been changed to a soil mixture containing less sand.

Originally scheduled to be completed in two phases, the turf course is ready for use. But fewer grass races probably will be carded during the 32-day Oak Tree meeting to give the course time to mature.

“In my opinion, the course is probably a little on the immature side,” said Tom Robbins, director of racing. “The last sod went down the first week of July. It’s a cool-season sod and the hottest summer on record didn’t help.”

A warm-weather Bermuda grass was used when the course was changed--at a cost of millions--in 1989 and a lot of experimenting was done afterward, trying to find the right mix.

“[The new course] will provide a more stable running surface and produce significantly less sand throw,” said Santa Anita president Cliff Goodrich. “This may result in more days when races will have to be transferred to the main track or not carded during rainy periods, but the horsemen have let us know that the type of racing surface is the more important issue.”

The new course will be used for the first time in today’s feature, the $100,000 added Autumn Days Handicap at about 6 1/2 furlongs.

No turf workouts will be allowed during the Oak Tree meeting, however, and horses will be allowed to wear flat shoes only. Two horses, Celtic Arms and Pinfloron, tested the surface last Thursday.

“[Celtic Arms] did what you like to see and the other horse got into it a little more in some spots, but those two horses had a big difference in action [their style of running],” Robbins said. “We’ll probably play it by ear [how much the course is used]. It’s going to improve. Right now, it’s nice to look at, but it’s what’s going on underneath you don’t know.”

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Denim Yenem, who ran the best race of her life in her first start for trainer Ron Ellis in the $75,000 CERF Stakes on Aug. 24 at Del Mar, is the 5-2 favorite against nine other fillies and mares in the Autumn Days.

Owned by Jan, Mace and Samantha Siegel, Denim Yenem had won three of eight for trainer Brian Mayberry, but she moved to a different level in the CERF. After pressing a fast pace, she drew away and won by 6 1/2 lengths in 1:14 3/5 for the 6 1/2 furlongs.

A 3-year-old daughter of Ogygian, she won her only other turf start and will again be ridden by Chris McCarron, who led the Del Mar jockey standings.

The rest of the field includes Salta’s Pride, Embroidered, Jacodra’s Devil, who has two victories in five starts on the Santa Anita turf, Klassy Kim, Flying In The Lane, Airistar, Miss L Attack and Neither Nor.

Horse Racing Notes

The first weekend of the Oak Tree meeting will feature six stakes races, two of them Grade I events. The Oak Leaf, Goodwood Handicap and Col. F.W. Koester Handicap will be run on Saturday, then the Norfolk, Oak Tree Invitational and Lady’s Secret will be run on Sunday. The Ancient Title Breeders’ Cup Handicap will be run on Monday, Columbus Day.

Kent Desormeaux, who rides Klassy Kim, will be trying for his fifth consecutive victory in the Autumn Days Handicap. He has won the last four with Starolamo, Toussaud and Bel’s Starlet twice. . . . French Deputy, who is unbeaten in four starts and was impressive in the Jerome Handicap last month at Belmont Park, will run in the $500,000 Meadowlands Cup on Friday night in New Jersey.

Santa Anita post time today through Oct. 27 will be 1 p.m. After that, it will be 12:30 p.m. with two exceptions. Post time on Oct. 28, Breeders’ Cup Day, will be 8:50 a.m., and on Nov. 11, California Cup Day, it will be 12 p.m.