Santa Anita back today with three graded stakes

For the first time in a week, there will be racing at Santa Anita today with three graded stakes highlighting the 10-race program.

Barring any further mishaps with the main track, fans should be prepared through the remainder of the winter-spring meet, which concludes April 20, for a number of six-day weeks and extended race cards. There will be racing this coming Wednesday as management strives to make up for the 11 days lost because of an all-weather track that has handled everything except moisture.

Some horses galloped over the surface Friday, but the main track remained closed for training Friday and repair work to fix the drainage problem was to continue well into the evening.

“The track will be open for training [this morning] and we will be racing in the afternoon,” Santa Anita President Ron Charles said.

When finished, the repaired track will include about 125,000 gallons of a polymer binder and 480 tons of new fiber. Indications are the track will have more cushion, be kinder to the horses and almost certainly much slower than the old surface.

Two horses trained by Barry Abrams galloped on the repaired track and Abrams said the exercise riders told him they and the horses were very comfortable on it. “It seemed to be more bouncy than the old surface,” Abrams said.

Of the three stakes today, two are Grade I’s, including the $250,000 Las Virgenes, a mile affair for 3-year-old fillies.

Still, it isn’t the race it could have been. Both Country Star, who was brilliant winning the Hollywood Starlet in her 2008 finale in December at Hollywood Park, and Indian Blessing, who is undefeated and was the 2-year-old filly champion, are absent.

Without the two stars, the Las Virgenes is left with a field of seven, topped by Golden Doc A, Tasha’s Miracle and Grace Anatomy.

A California-bred daughter of Unusual Heat trained by Abrams, Golden Doc A will be making her first start for owner Ron McCauley.

She was purchased privately after finishing second, defeated by a head, to Indian Blessing in the Santa Ynez on Jan. 13. Golden Doc A, who will be ridden by Rafael Bejarano, will be looking for her first win around two turns.

The other Grade I is the $250,000 Santa Maria Handicap for older fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles.

Six entered the Santa Maria, but Tough Tiz’s Sis and Dawn After Dawn are also entered in Sunday’s $200,000 La Canada, which is restricted to 4-year-old fillies. Both Tough Tiz’s Sis and Dawn After Dawn seem more likely to run today because the La Canada is only a Grade II and is worth less money.

The last of the day’s stakes is the $250,000 San Antonio, which is the final major prep for the $1-million Santa Anita Handicap on March 1.

Originally scheduled for Super Bowl Sunday, the 1 1/8 -mile race was a victim of the weather, but the same nine who were entered more than a week ago are back.

Student Council, whose biggest win came at 23-1 in the $1-million Pacific Classic last Aug. 19 at Del Mar, is the 119-pound highweight in the San Antonio.

--

Times staff writer Larry Stewart contributed to this report.

bob.mieszerski@latimes.com