Fire postpones fall meet

Santa Anita postponed this weekend’s opening of its autumn meeting for one week, until Sept. 25, because of the nearby Bobcat fire affecting the San Gabriel Valley.

The combination of poor air quality and the track being used as an evacuation center precipitated the decision.

“Our local community has been deeply impacted by the Bobcat fire burning for more than a week in the mountains behind us,” said Aidan Butler, acting executive director of California operations for the Stronach Group. “The current weather pattern has kept the smoke in the valley, and the air quality is quite poor now.”

Santa Anita was supposed to open Saturday for two days of racing before going to a Friday through Sunday schedule for the remainder of the five-week season.

— John Cherwa

Bob E. McGee became the 27th racing or training fatality at Los Alamitos since Dec. 27 when the 2-year-old gelding sustained a life-ending injury after finishing a 350-yard race Sunday night. The horse was running in a trial for the Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Racing Assn. Breeders’ Futurity.

— John Cherwa