‘Uneven’ Conditions Cause Cancellation

For the first time in more than three years, a local live racing program was canceled Wednesday at Hollywood Park because of uneven conditions on the main track.

The seven 3-year-old fillies entered in Wednesday’s first race were on the track for the post parade, but a couple of minutes before the scheduled 1 p.m. post time, their jockeys dismounted and the horses were returned to the walking ring.

At first it was announced there would only be a delay before the first race was run, but some 45 minutes later, the decision to cancel was made official.

Track maintenance tractors began to work on the surface almost immediately after the horses returned to the walking ring.

While the tractors were circling the oval, jockeys Kent Desormeaux, Chris McCarron, Alex Solis and Gary Stevens walked a portion of the track just past the finish line and conferred with racing secretary Martin Panza before the decision was reached to cancel racing. Hollywood Park remained open for wagering on simulcasts from Golden Gate Fields, Churchill Downs and Woodbine.

“The track was fine for training this morning,” said Hollywood Park General Manager Eual Wyatt Jr. “Before the races, we tried to turn it over and air it out.

“That turned out to be a mistake because we got caught by a second storm and ran out of time. With the cancellation, we will have ample time to work the track and we’ll have an excellent surface [today].”

Hollywood Park installed a new racing surface before this meeting, but Stevens said that wasn’t the reason for the problem Wednesday.

“There were some deep spots from the tire marks from the tractors,” he said. “The surface was very uneven. I feel bad for [track superintendent] Dennis [Moore] because it was just a matter of the circumstances we were dealt today. [Overall, the riders] are pleased with the surface.”

There will not be a makeup day, but the track was granted approval by the California Horse Racing Board to add a race on Saturdays for the rest of the season, which continues until July 20.

Santa Anita canceled a card Jan. 8, 1995 after the first race when jockeys said the track was unsafe. Heavy rain also washed out programs Jan. 11 and 12.

The last time racing was canceled at Hollywood Park was April 30-May 3, 1992 because of the L.A. riots in the wake of the Rodney King verdict.