Constructed by Tapeta Footings, the new surface is designed to improve safety while also helping to limit weather-related training disruptions.

“The main thing is having synthetic will alleviate a complete stoppage of training because of weather,” said Jason Egan, Santa Anita Director of Racing and Racing Secretary.

This week has provided a perfect example of the potential impact of a synthetic training track at Santa Anita. With back-to-back rainstorms hitting the area, the main track was “sealed” on Tuesday and has since been closed entirely for training.

“We have some unique situations in California with rules as it relates to weather,” Egan said. “Like with the rain this week. It either closes our racetrack entirely or limits what our training activities can be.”

With the worst of this week's rainstorms having passed, Santa Anita's main track is expected to be unsealed Friday. Per rules of the California Racing Board, only joggers will be allowed on the track Saturday. Full training is slated to resume on Sunday given the current forecast.

“Having a synthetic training track, we can continue on with workouts, gallops, that sort of thing. I think it will be a big assist,” Egan added.

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Horses were able to jog on both tracks under partly cloudy skies Sunday. There have been no timed workouts at Santa Anita since Thursday.

More rain is forecast for the first half of next week, but the amount projected is much lighter than the recent deluge that saturated the area. Jason Egan, Santa Anita Director of Racing and Racing Secretary, said he expects both tracks to remain open for training with time workouts to resume Tuesday.

Live racing is expected to return to Santa Anita next Friday. As a result of last week's cancellations, Santa Anita has added a card for Mar. 9 and plans to run more overnight races than were originally scheduled next week.

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“We're looking at a low end of probably two inches of rain between late Thursday and Friday with a high end closer to five inches,” said Jason Egan, Santa Anita director of racing and racing secretary.

Friday was originally scheduled to be a dark day at Santa Anita following Monday's special Presidents' Day card. However, due to what were multiple rain-related cancellations earlier in the meet, Friday's card was added to serve as a makeup for the lost days.

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The program offers a $5,000 bonus for eligible horses making his or her first start, and a 35% bonus, excluding stakes races, is also available. The 'Ship & Win' program is a joint venture with the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club.

“Ship and Win has proven to be a very effective catalyst in attracting new equine talent and we're very hopeful that many horsemen will opt to stay in Southern California following Del Mar and to participate in this lucrative program here at our Autumn Meet,” said Chris Merz, Santa Anita Director of Racing and Racing Secretary.

Horses that are qualified for the Del Mar 'Ship & Win' incentive will retain eligibility for one start at Santa Anita this fall, provided they do not make a start elsewhere following the conclusion of the Del Mar meet Sept. 11. To be eligible for both programs, horses must have made their most recent start outside of California and must not have started in the state within the past 12 months.

For additional information, contact Chris Merz or Jason Egan in the Santa Anita racing office at (626) 574-6352.

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Blind, 72, is retiring from the position effective Nov. 1. Former trainer Jason Egan, who currently works in the MJC racing office as an entry clerk, will step into the role of stakes coordinator.

“My family has been in racing for almost 120 years,” Blind said. “I really liked my position as stakes coordinator. Working with the trainers all over the country was very enjoyable. That's the part I will miss the most. I know Jason will do a great job.”

Blind's roots run deep in Thoroughbred racing. His great-grandfather owned horses in England and his grandfather trained for the Royal Canadian governor of British Columbia after the family emigrated to Canada.

An uncle, Eric Blind, rode in the 1924 Kentucky Derby (G1) and the 1926 Derby and Preakness Stakes (G1). Blind's father, Eddie, was an assistant starter for the famed match race between Seabiscuit and War Admiral in the 1938 Pimlico Special and became the official starter for Maryland's Thoroughbred tracks in 1947, acquiring the nickname “The Maestro of the Start” in a position he held for 35 years until his retirement.

Blind began working alongside his father in the Laurel Park starting gate in 1966, joined by his brother, Frank, who would go on to become a golf pro at Fox Hollow Golf Club in Baltimore County. Coley Blind has worked in racing offices for Maryland's tracks at Laurel, Pimlico and Timonum as well as Monmouth Park, Delaware Park and the defunct Atlantic City, Liberty Bell, Marlboro and Hagerstown.

In addition to stakes coordinator, Blind has also worked as an assistant starter, starter, paddock judge, patrol judge, placing judge, clerk of scales, horse identifier and assistant racing secretary. He also served as a National Steeplechase Association steward.

In 1989 Blind left racing for 11 years, went into contracting and opened an insurance business before returning to the game in 2000. He said he plans to stay in the Maryland area.

“One thing I will always remember is watching Secretariat win the [1973] Preakness. He was in my mind the greatest horse I ever saw. I was the patrol judge at the quarter pole that day and was awed by him,” Blind said. “In my years in racing I have seen some of the best horses ever to run.”

The 38-year-old Egan can trace his love of racing to growing up in Washington state, where his father took him to defunct Longacres in the Seattle suburb of Renton to watch the legendary Captain Condo, who won 30 of 70 starts from 1986 to 1992.

Egan attended the University of Arizona's Racetrack Industry Program, interning with trainer Michael Dickinson in North East, Md. Egan worked for a time on a farm in Florida following graduation and spent a year working for seven-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Todd Pletcher before becoming trainer Mike Trombetta's assistant.

After going out on his own, Egan won 52 races between 2011 and 2019, earning his first stakes win in the 2018 Weber City Miss with 3-year-old filly Goodonehoney. Other top horses trained by Egan include She's Achance Too, second in the 2016 Maryland Million Lassie, three-time stakes-placed Any Court Inastorm, and He's Achance.

Egan's wife, Jordyn, works as director of development for the Maryland Horse Industry Foundation and is assistant director for Maryland Million Ltd.

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