Report: Del Mar could open for training due to San Luis Rey Downs fire

With more than 400 horses displaced from Thursday's fire at the San Luis Rey Downs training center, Del Mar, which volunteered to house most of them, could re-open for training, the Daily Racing Form reported.

Meetings were to happen Friday between track operators and the Stronach Group, which owns both Santa Anita Park near Los Angeles and San Luis Rey Downs in Bosnall, Calif.

Del Mar's chief operating officer, Josh Rubinstein, told DRF his track could open on a "temporary, short-term basis." He added that "it's a fluid situation, and we're doing what we can to help." San Luis Rey Downs is large enough that some trainers stabled all their horses there, while prominent conditioners such as Doug O'Neill had strings both there and at Santa Anita. With hundreds of horses suddenly stabled at Del Mar out of season, the track has set up a portal on its website, listing needs for both horses and humans that evacuated due to the fire. Thoroughbred racing in Southern California will resume Saturday at Los Alamitos, where the meet runs up until Santa Anita opens again on Dec. 26.