by Jeff Lowe

Santa Anita Park has finalized plans to overhaul its troubled main track with Pro Ride’s synthetic mixture in time for the Oak Tree at Santa Anita meet that will feature the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. 

The six-week project will begin on July 14 and involve replacement of the asphalt base and treatment of the entire track with binder and fiber. Santa Anita will be closed for training during the overhaul. Hollywood Park will be the auxiliary training site during the Del Mar summer meeting, which runs from July 16 to September 3.

Frank Stronach, founder and chairman of Santa Anita’s parent company, Magna Entertainment Corp., agreed to the plan in a meeting with track President Ron Charles in mid-June.

“We have all decided this would be the best course of action for Santa Anita to take with the Breeders’ Cup committed to coming here over the next two years,” Charles said. “We are firmly convinced the people at Pro-Ride can provide the product our racing demands and just as importantly, we know they will provide the oversight we need to guarantee this surface drains properly, is kind to horse and rider, and that it will produce formful, consistent racing.”

Pro-Ride managing director Ian Pearse revamped the Santa Anita main track during four days last winter after drainage issues arose with the Cushion Track surface that was installed last summer, forcing the cancellation of 11 live racing dates.

In May, Santa Anita filed a federal lawsuit against manufacturer Cushion Track Footings seeking restitution.

“Ian was able to turn a dysfunctional track into a functional one for us in just four days,” Charles said. “Now, he’ll have three full weeks to work with. We feel he’ll be able to dramatically improve upon the track that was so well received when it was reformulated this past winter.  The entire track will have the same consistency and texture."

The new surface will debut with the beginning of the Oak Tree at Santa Anita meeting on September 24.

Jeff Lowe is a Thoroughbred Times staff writer