In spite of six races moved from the turf to the dirt, resulting in 10 program scratches, a total of $2.3 million was wagered on track and total pari-mutuel handle was $19.4 million, making it the third-best opening day figures ever.
“We really want to thank the fans for supporting us and the horsemen for going with the changes and participating,” said Santa Anita Senior Vice President and General Manager, Nate Newby. “Although it didn't rain yesterday, we had over 4 1/2 inches of rain in the five days leading into Sunday, so the decision was made to come off the turf.
“I want to acknowledge the great job Dennis Moore and his team did yesterday in having the main track in tremendous shape. We had great racing and some great performances, just a fabulous day,” Newby added.
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