Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Oak Tree Gears Up for Opening Day 2009


Horses School in the Santa Anita paddock in preparation for Opening Day 2009.

Oak Tree at Santa Anita kicks off its 41st season of racing Wednesday, Sept. 30. Highlighting the meet will be the two-day Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships – hosted by Oak Tree for the second consecutive year – on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 6 and 7.

The opening day feature is the Grade 3 Morvich Handicap for 3 year olds at about 6-1/2 furlongs on the El Camino Real, Santa Anita’s famous downhill turf course.

Over the first two weekends, Oak Tree will present seven Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup prep races, beginning with the Oak Leaf Stakes for 2-year-old fillies and the Norfolk Stakes for 2-year-olds on Sunday, Oct. 4.

Saturday, Oct. 10, will feature three Grade I Breeders’ Cup preps: The Lady’s Secret, Yellow Ribbon and Goodwood Stakes. Superstar filly Zenyatta is expected to defend her title in the Lady’s Secret, and Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird is pointing for the Goodwood Stakes as a final prep for the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic.

On Sunday, Oct. 11, Oak Tree will feature the Clement L. Hirsch Turf Championship and the Ancient Title Stakes.

First post time on weekdays, including opening day Wednesday, is 1:00 p.m., and first post time on weekends and holidays will be at 12:30 p.m. with the exception of Cal Cup Day (Saturday, Oct. 3, 12:00 noon) and closing day (Nov. 8, 12:00 noon).

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