Oak Tree Racing must find a new home
There was confusion and uncertainty about this year’s Oak Tree Racing Association’s fall meet. Oak Tree’s traditional home, the Santa Anita Park has informed Oak Tree to find a new home. However, after exhausting negotiations with the owners of Santa Anita Park, Magna International Developments, it was decided that Oak Tree Racing will be allowed to hold the meet for one more year at Santa Anita.
Before Chairman of Magna, Frank Stronach agreed to extend Oak Tree’s stay at Santa Anita, he was adamant that it would be the last time Santa Anita hosted Oak Tree. Now all the negotiations and deliberations that went into acquiring a stay at Santa Anita Park appear to have been in vain.
The California Horse Racing Board rejected Oak Tree’s license to hold its fall meet at Santa Anita following concerns raised about the synthetic surface at the racecourse by a leading group of leading horse owners and trainers. The ruling came after a 6-1 vote on the matter on Thursday.
Sherwood Chillingworth, Oak Tree Racing’s executive vice president met with the groups, Thoroughbred Owners of California and the California Thoroughbred Trainers, in an effort to come to a compromise on Santa Anita but the groups were adamant. The groups still oppose racing at Santa Anita’s synthetic surface and after the CHRB’s ruling, Oak Tree is now without a home.
Chillingworth said that there was a group of owners and trainers who were uncomfortable with the track along with those who were satisfied with the track and could testify to its safety. Although the last season saw the fewest equine fatalities in Santa Anita’s history, owners and trainers were still not happy and became particularly concerned after renovations which were conducted on the main track. The main track has been known for drainage problems and after the renovations; rocks came up to the surface.
The Horse Racing Board commissioned engineered racing surfaces expert, Dr. Mike Peterson to investigate the track. In his findings Dr. Peterson expressed concerns about the track’s inconsistency and moisture levels. He said that the hard pan layer’s thickness varied along the length of the tracks and confirmed that the rocks were indeed a serious concern.
Santa Anita’s track maintenance superintendent, Richard Tedesco told the horse racing board that the track was indeed safe and that he was willing to address any concerns about the track that Dr. Peterson had raised in his report to reassure the horse racing board. The Thoroughbred Owners of California were not convinced. The group’s chairman, Arnold Zetcher, said that Santa Anita was too much of a gamble. He said that the effort could possibly be made to try to fix Santa Anita in the next few weeks but couldn’t be certain of the outcome. Arnold said, “We feel it's just not worth taking the chance.”
Oak Tree had already made preparations to move out of Santa Anita earlier this year after Stronach first said that Magna wouldn’t give Oak Tree another meet at Santa Anita. Oak Tree had entered into negotiations with Hollywood Park while they tried to get Magna to agree to the 2010 season.
As it turned out, Hollywood Park was easier to convince than Stronach was. Oak Tree and Hollywood Park had the lease ‘practically in hand’ when Stronach changed his mind. Oak Tree then thanked Hollywood Park President, Jack Liebau for his understanding and cooperation in going along with the last minute change of Plans. Oak Tree would have to owe Hollywood Park another one because in all likelihood Hollywood Park would be their new home now.
Oak Tree would be submitting a new bid for Hollywood Park any day now and a board ruling expected on the matter in the same week. The Thoroughbred Owners of California came out in support of a move to Hollywood Park amid concerns about the surface. Zetcher said that if Santa Anita had more time to address the issues with the track, then they would have been more comfortable committing to the track. “Our conclusion is the meet should move to Hollywood Park.”
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