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Columnist Ralph Siraco: Racing Fans Await Santa Anita Opener

A tradition for decades, Santa Anita will begin the 85-day session on Wednesday and Southern California racing fans can't wait for the action at the Arcadia oval to commence.

An unusual eight-day respite ushers in the resumption of racing in the Golden State with Santa Anita's opening day card and the return of Northern California action at Golden Gate. Not since Hollywood Park's closing day on Monday, Dec. 17, has there been any racing on the Left Coast.

And the players are ready to fire.

Area race books will be filled by the time the horses come onto the track in the post parade for the first race, set to go at high noon. Also a tradition of Santa Anita's opening is the giveaway calendar. The popular date keeper has reached "collector's item" status and those who can't get to the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains for the opener can gallop down to the Boulder Station race book, where there will be a limited supply of the calendars for the asking.

But the racing is the center of attraction.

The rich tradition of Santa Anita as the country's "Great Race Place" is what racing fans can't wait to experience. Despite the retirements of Point Given and Tiznow, there is a good supply of top equine talent that will vie for top honors during the meeting, which will roll on through April 21.

One of the sport's genuine treasures, the ageless wonder Laffit Pincay, Jr., will return to try to defend his riding title of last season. The living legend will celebrate his 55th birthday on Saturday, and he shows no signs of slowing down. Coming off a vintage year, which saw Pincay win three of Southern California's major riding titles, he is set to duplicate or surpass his 73 winner's circle pictures that earned him the title last year.

Tyler Baze will try to rekindle his solid production, too. The 19-year-old journeyman's 63 winners were good enough to secure the Avis spot in last season's standings.

Alex Solis, who just wrapped up the Hollywood Park fall meeting title, is set to give the top pair all they can handle.

Of course, they are not alone. The Southern California rider colony has been one of the country's top group for years, and this year is no exception.

Among the highlights of the Santa Anita meeting is the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap. Known as the granddaddy of handicap races, the country's first hundred grander will go for the 65th time on Saturday, March 2.

Although the Santa Anita Handicap is the centerpiece of the track's $11.25 million stakes offerings, the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby may be the most anticipated added-money event each season. The Santa Anita Derby, to be held this season on Saturday, April 6, has always stamped the Western favorite for the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May.

And serious fans know the impact the Santa Anita version has had recently on the Kentucky Derby. Six horses that had run in the Santa Anita Derby have finished in the money in the last six Kentucky Derbies.

Last year's winner, Point Given, bombed in the Kentucky Derby only to bounce back and take the final two jewels of the Triple Crown with impressive victories in the Preakness and Belmont Stakes.

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