Incoming storm leads Santa Anita to call off Sunday races

With up to two inches of rain forecast to be coming from an incoming storm that may stick around for a while, Sunday racing has been canceled at Santa Anita.

The track’s racing office notified horsemen by text Friday afternoon that a pair of Grade 3, $100,000 stakes were moved to next Saturday. Entries for the Las Virgenes and San Marcos will be retaken and post positions redrawn Wednesday. Those races will be run the same day as the Palos Verdes (G3), a sprint for older horses that will hold its place on the schedule.

Click here for Santa Anita entries and results.

The other six races that would have been run Sunday will be offered as extras next Friday with entries taken Sunday.

Workouts still will be permitted for the original entrants even if their trainers did not submit requests to breeze.

The Las Virgenes, a Kentucky Oaks (G1) points prep going a two-turn mile on the main track, was going to have six 3-year-old fillies. Bob Baffert-trained Kinza, a debut winner Dec. 29 who is ineligible for the Oaks points, was the 6-5 morning-line favorite. Richard Mandella’s Kopion, whose 2-for-2 record includes last month’s Santa Ynez (G3), was the 7-5 second choice.

The San Marcos at 1 1/4 miles from the end of the downhill turf course originally drew seven older horses led by John Sadler’s 5-year-old Missed the Cut, who finished second in the San Gabriel (G2) on Dec. 26. He was the 5-2 program favorite.

The National Weather Service said rain will develop Saturday evening and become heavy at times Sunday. It will come with southeast wind of 15-25 mph with gusts as high as 35 mph. The forecast said there was an 80 percent chance of between one and two inches of precipitation Sunday. The rain may linger all the way through Wednesday.