Hollywood Park, capitalizing on the first summer break in training since Cushion Track was installed in 2006, is renovating the synthetic surface with training scheduled to resume at the Track of Lakes and Flowers in early September.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Cushion Track has answered speculation it would add third-party defendants to it case with the Los Angeles Turf Club, charging several contracted companies with fault in the development of the former troubled synthetic surface at Santa Anita Park.
Monday, December 08, 2008
Cushion Track and related defendants have filed a counterclaim against the Los Angeles Turf Club and its general counsel in the lawsuit over the troubled former synthetic surface at Santa Anita Park, asking a California federal court to award it at least $1.3 million in damages.
Friday, November 21, 2008
The federal lawsuit against Cushion Track and affiliates over the former synthetic racing surface at Santa Anita Park is geared to go forward after a judge recently denied most of the defendants' request for dismissal.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Cushion Track Footing and affiliated defendants have indicated in a recent court filing that they may countersue certain defendants in the federal lawsuit over Santa Anita Park's original synthetic surface.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Several horses were out galloping on the renovated Santa Anita track surface Aug. 31. Training stables are just starting to ship in from Del Mar.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Defendants in the lawsuit over Santa Anita Park's troubled synthetic surface have filed motions asking a California federal court to dismiss the action against them for various reasons.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Large piles of material dot Santa Anita's backside parking lot, as work continues on the overhaul of the track's synthetic surface. Repairs to the drainage system are expected to be finished soon, with the next step being the placement of the base grit layer, according to Ian Pearse, founder and president of Pro-Ride Racing Australia.
Friday, August 01, 2008
Hoping to revitalize its Cushion Track racing surface following the 60-day spring/summer meet that concludes July 13, Hollywood Park plans to close its main track to training in the next few weeks for a short maintenance break.
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Santa Anita Park announced June 23 that its main track will undergo a complete overhaul beginning July 14, and will be reconstituted with a mixture of Pro-Ride synthetic material.
Monday, June 23, 2008
The operator of Santa Anita Park has filed a federal lawsuit against the original supplier of its troubled synthetic racing surface, claiming it has suffered at least $8.4 million in damages from improper installation and repair.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Replacement of the asphalt base is likely the next step in the ongoing efforts to improve Santa Anita Park's synthetic surface.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
A two-day flooding of Santa Anita Park's synthetic surface is one of the final tests management plans before making a decision on the future of the main-track surface. Track president Ron Charles said the surface will be flooded following training hours May 28.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Behindatthebar wasn't ready for a start in the May 3 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) after winning the April 19 Coolmore Lexington (gr. II). But with two more weeks between races under his girth, the Todd Pletcher trainee could be one of the more legitimate contenders for the May 17 Preakness Stakes (gr. I).
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Now that the Santa Anita winter meeting has ended, work can begin in earnest on the choice of main-track surface. Following a comprehensive series of tests on the current main track, a decision is probable sometime in May, Santa Anita president Ron Charles said April 22.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
The number of catastrophic injuries on dirt tracks has gone up while the corresponding number on synthetic surfaces has gone down, according to a revision of a report first given at the March 17 Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summit.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
You can bet there are those pushing for a return to a dirt surface at Santa Anita
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Experts from all avenues of the racing industry presented statistics and opinions on synthetic surfaces and Santa Anita track president Ron Charles said the track will replace its Cushion Track as a six-hour special meeting called by the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) concluded Feb. 20.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Following an afternoon of inconsistencies in Santa Anita's reconstituted racing surface, the main track appeared to be back in shape the morning of Feb. 14. Trainers went from scratching horses late in the card Feb. 13 because of their concern to commenting that the track was the best it has been so far the next morning.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
By Bill Casner - "No Good Deed Goes Unpunished" -- No one understands this better than Mr. Richard Shapiro and his fellow California Horse Racing Board members in the wake of the problems with Cushion Track at Santa Anita.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Horses owned by Zayat Stables that were stabled in southern California have been relocated.
Monday, February 11, 2008
With no stakes winner in the field, even-money choice Dawn After Dawn had an easy time of it in winning the $200,000 La Canada Stakes (gr. II) on the front end at Santa Anita Feb. 10.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Following a test of several horses galloping over the backstretch, Santa Anita management has given the go-ahead to return to racing Saturday, Feb. 9. The track has been closed since Sunday, Feb. 3, for a renovation of its Cushion Track surface to fix the drainage problem that has plagued the track.
Friday, February 08, 2008
Santa Anita Park announced Feb. 7 that live racing will be canceled Feb. 8 due to a one-day delay in the last phase of its main track renovation. Racing is scheduled to resume Feb. 9.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Ian Pearse of Melbourne, Australia, who is receiving plenty of attention these days as the man expected to fix Santa Anita's troubled Cushion Track synthetic surface, answers questions about synthetic surfaces.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
The Feb. 3 card included the San Antonio Handicap (gr. II), featuring the likes of Student Council, Awesome Gem, and Zappa. Racing secretary Rick Hammerle said that the San Antonio has been rescheduled for Feb. 9.
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Ian Pearse of Pro-Ride Racing Australia stands ready to begin fixing Santa Anita's beleaguered Cushion Track surface as soon as the final race is completed Feb. 3.
Friday, February 01, 2008
It used to be so simple. Every step horses took on the Kentucky Derby trail was on good old Mother Earth. Now, we have no idea what some horses are putting their feet into.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
By Morton Cathro - Santa Anita's wet-weather woes flooding its synthetic track remind a dwindling number of oldtimers of the rain-soaked, not-so-grand opening a half-century ago of Golden Gate Fields and its clay-like racing surface that doomed the track to temporary oblivion.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Rain that hit Southern California before Santa Anita had a chance to apply new materials to its Cushion Track synthetic surface forced several more days of cancellations. Santa Anita lost Jan. 24, 25, 27, and 28 due to weather, but a 24-hour break allowed the track to host its half of the Sunshine Millions program Jan. 26.
Monday, January 28, 2008
After getting a break in the weather enabling the Sunshine Millions program to go forward Jan. 26, Santa Anita announced it has canceled its live racing programs for the next two days after more rain hit the track overnight.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
With sunny skies overhead and another rainstorm not expected until the evening, Santa Anita is going to proceed with its half of the Jan. 26 Sunshine Millions.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
The drainage problems of Santa Anita's Cushion Track coupled with two inches of hail that fell at 5 a.m. Jan. 24 has put the West Coast half of Sunshine Millions in serious doubt, according to track president Ron Charles. Santa Anita had to cancel its Jan. 24 card.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Waterford Stable's In Summation again showed his affinity for synthetic surfaces with a game and blazing victory in the $150,000 Palos Verdes Handicap (gr. II) for 4-year-olds and up at Santa Anita Park Jan. 21.
Monday, January 21, 2008
A liquid binder officials believe will save Santa Anita Park's Cushion Track should take about 10 days to acquire and another four to mix with the synthetic racing surface, the California Horse Racing Board was told Jan. 16.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
After finishing second for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer in the Dec. 29 La Brea Stakes (gr. I) over the Cushion Track at Santa Anita, 4-year-old Unspoken Word returns to turf and drops down in company to make her seasonal debut in the $100,000 Tuzla Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Santa Anita Jan. 19.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Santa Anita officials hope that adding more synthetic material with a new binder that traps fine sediment in the Cushion Track will restore the track's ability to drain. The track may lose a couple days while installing the new material, which is being manufactured. Santa Anita officials promise the material will be added at the first opportunity.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Synthetic material that includes a liquid binder will be added to Santa Anita Park's main surface in an effort to improve drainage, the Southern California racetrack announced Jan. 15.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Midnight Lute worked six furlongs in a bullet 1:10.60 on Santa Anita's Cushion Track Jan. 14 in preparation for the Jan. 21 Palos Verdes Handicap (gr. II).
Monday, January 14, 2008
Jockeys in California are wearing plastic safety visors to protect their faces from harsh kickback as racing at Santa Anita continues despite the track's surface problems.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Jockey Julien Leparoux is shifting his tack to Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La., after spending about six weeks in California, according to the jockey's agent, Steve Bass.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Santa Anita officials, considering re-installing a dirt racing surface, have delayed a decision regarding whether to replace its synthetic track, which is plagued by continual drainage problems.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
The California Horse Racing Board, meeting in a brief emergency session by teleconference Jan. 8 following Santa Anita's canceled weekend Jan. 5-7, cleared the way for the Los Angeles Turf Club to move some or all of the 2008 winter/spring racing dates to Hollywood Park.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Santa Anita Park canceled live racing for Jan. 7 because of continued problems with its Cushion Track surface.
Monday, January 07, 2008
For the second straight day, Santa Anita Park officials canceled racing Jan. 6 due to concerns about the condition of the synthetic racing surface after recent heavy rainfall.
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Santa Anita canceled racing Jan. 5, because the new Cushion Track is not draining properly. The track did an extensive renovation last month that was supposed to fix this problem. Five inches of rain have fallen, according to officials. More is expected tonight and could affect racing for the entire weekend.
Saturday, January 05, 2008
Knee deep in controversy over drainage problems with Santa Anita's new synthetic racetrack and heavy rainfall expected this week, the company that installed the surface has acknowledged that the issue remains unresolved.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Waterford Stable's In Summation stalked a three-horse speed duel in a five-horse field and blew by late to win the Jan. 1 El Conejo Handicap (gr. III) in track-record time for 5 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita Park.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
The renovated Cushion Track at Santa Anita Park produced a track record at seven furlongs in the second race of the opening day card on Dec. 26. Bob Black Jack hit the wire in 1:20.37, .53 seconds faster than the previous mark set during the fall Oak Tree Association meet. While new surfaces always mean new records, the previous dirt record for seven furlongs set by Spectacular Bid in 1980 was 1:20.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Grade I winner Greg's Gold seeks his fourth victory of the season, but the 6-year-old gelding will have to carry top weight and deal with red-hot Unusual Suspect, a winner in three of his last four starts, in the $100,000 On Trust Handicap Dec. 22 at Hollywood Park.
Friday, December 21, 2007
