Strong Santa Ana winds of up to 100 miles per hour blew through Southern California early Dec. 1, uprooting trees and damaging some barns at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia.
A track security guard said via phone there were no injuries to people or horses, and that the damage was not severe.
Derek Lawson, a jockeys’ agent who was at the track when the strongest winds hit at about 4 a.m. PST, said there was significant damage to several barns, including the one belonging to Doug O’Neill. He said some trees lining the downhill turf course were toppled, there was damage to the backstretch railings on the track, and debris littered the grounds.
Training was canceled at Santa Anita, which is scheduled to begin its 2011-12 meet Dec. 26, and there was no power at the track. Full-card simulcasts were canceled for the day.
Across town at Hollywood Park, officials reported there was no damage to report.
In Southern California, nearly 200,000 customers were without power and a state of emergency was declared in Pasedena. There were wind advisories out for Arizona, Utah, Nevada, and Calfiornia through Dec. 2.