Santa Anita GM: We’ve got to put out a better product

We’re about a third of the way into Santa Anita’s winter-spring meet, so let’s check in with the track’s general manager, Nate Newby.

In this Q&A session, we find out how Newby feels about the short field sizes that have plagued the track so far, how business has gone through the first seven weeks and if the Arcadia track is still in the running to host the 2023 Breeders’ Cup.

Q» Last Friday, Santa Anita included three races on its eight-race card with five-horse fields and one with only four. On Sunday, there were four races with only five horses. How concerned are you about the betting product?

NEWBY » Field size is averaging 6.9 (horses) right now for the season, so it’s definitely below where we need it to be. Behind safety, it’s our No. 1 goal to focus on. We’ve got to put out a better product, there’s no question. We gotta continue to work with our stakeholders to see what we can do better from our side. We need a better environment for owners and trainers to participate in our racing program. In Socal, we have more works and less starts per horse than any other jurisdiction. With 2,200 horses, we believe we should be able to

put out a good product for at least three days a week and hopefully we can recruit new horses and new barns out here and get back to four days.

Q» There are only seven races Friday, which is the smallest card of the meet so far. Is there a chance Santa Anita could be forced to cut back to Saturday and Sunday racing because of the short fields? NEWBY » I don’t think so.

This is a four-day weekend with the holiday (there’s special Presidents Day racing Monday) so we just thought we’d have seven Friday, Saturday’s a pretty decent card and we’re doing a mandatory (Rainbow Pick 6) payout Sunday. With a four-day week, you gotta spread it out a little more, and that’s where we ended up.

Q» Dealing with the COVID protocols and other factors, how does the overall betting handle look heading into Friday’s card? Is Santa Anita holding its own business-wise? NEWBY » We’re holding up OK. We’ve increased purses 10% going into this meet for the fourth consecutive meet, so we’re holding to projections and the purse account is doing okay. Even with the reduced field sizes, handle has been up most days. We’re up just over 10%. We’re doing OK, but there’s no question that improving our product is a priority and we all feel like we have to do that. It’s encouraging that horse players are supporting us, but it also tells me that if we can work together and put out a better product, then we know they are really going to support us. There’s some optimism there based on where we are currently at.

Q» How much has COVID affected business at Santa Anita?

NEWBY » We’re still definitely seeing a reduction in on-track business, but the mega-event guidelines loosened up this week ... so, knocking on wood, I think we’re all looking for better days ahead and we’ve kind of backloaded some of our promotions on-track for the better weather and hoping that we’re going to be in a better situation with the pandemic. We’re hoping for a strong rally for the second half of the meet, but there’s no question (COVID) has affected on-track business.

Q» Santa Anita has been home this winter to two spectacular performances – Flightline’s victory in the opening-day Malibu Stakes and Messier’s monster win in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes on Feb. 6. Efforts like that turn fans on to horses and make them want to return to the track when they race again, am I right?

NEWBY » I love it. I remember when Flightline broke his maiden, we were just sitting there and watching him come down the stretch in person, and being right there was just jaw-dropping. One of the very nice things about my job is I get to see performances like that, not only when they develop into a superstar, but even in their maiden race, getting to see that first out where you know they are brilliant.

Q» It’s been a very safe meet so far, accompanied by slow times for the most part, except for Flightline’s and Messier’s lightningquick final clockings over a deep track. Is management’s top priority a safe race track more than a fast one?

NEWBY » Number one is safety, and we like it to be a fair track for the horse players, no strong biases. I think most horse players would tell us that it’s been fair and it’s obviously been safe. So we’re good on that front.

Q» The Breeders’ Cup host site committee never tips its hand before announcing where future events will be held. All we know at this point is that Keeneland is hosting this year’s Breeders’ Cup on Nov. 4-5. Is Santa Anita still in the running to be the host track in 2023 for a record 11th time?

NEWBY » I think it’s still a possibility, but you’ll have to talk to Breeders’ Cup for more information than that. We’re open to hosting it from our end.