Wildfires have ravaged neighborhoods across Los Angeles in recent days.
More than 12,000 homes have been destroyed by raging fires that have left at least 11 dead.
A flare-up of the wildfire on the city’s west side resulted in the latest evacuation order, prompting Santa Anita to cancel this weekend’s scheduled horse racing event.
The track in Arcadia, near the smoldering Eaton Fire that decimated Altadena, said Friday it planned to continue racing Saturday, depending on air quality conditions.
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Richi and jockey Kazushi Kimura, right, win the Grade III $100,000 Las Flores Stakes horse race Jan. 4, 2025, at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. (Benoit Photo via AP)
However, track officials said Saturday’s race would be canceled due to new developments with the Palisades Fire.
Air quality standards at the track remain well within limits set by the California Horse Racing Board and the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, according to track officials. However, organizers were concerned about the growing impact of the fires throughout Los Angeles County.
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The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection confirmed the Palisades fire was 11% contained Saturday morning, while the Eaton fire was listed as 15%.
The 90-year-old track in Southern California is also being used to support various relief efforts.
An American flag hangs on the gate of a home destroyed by the Eaton fire in Altadena, California, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
A charity drop-off at the Rose Bowl was moved to Santa Anita’s south parking lot on Friday. Southern California Edison is using the entire north parking lot as its base to restore power to those in the affected areas. The track works with other organizations that request space.
Morning training continues as planned on Saturday and Sunday. The track has its own security staff and does not use local first responders for normal events.
Rescheduled dates for the postponed races are expected to be announced at a later date.
The sports world has felt the impact of the unprecedented wildfires this week. Malibu was one of several areas hit hard by the Palisades fire.
Pepperdine University, which has a main campus on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, postponed its men’s and women’s basketball doubleheader on Saturday. School officials cited the Palisades Fire and travel conditions in Los Angeles.
Pepperdine University in Malibu October 18, 2023. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
But Pepperdine’s Malibu campus remains free of any immediate threat from the fire. But access to the campus is limited to the north side. Pacific Coast Highway south of campus is closed.
Pepperdine and Loyola Marymount are in communication with the West Coast Conference about realignment. Elsewhere, the fourth-ranked USC women’s basketball team is scheduled to play a Big Ten Conference game against Penn State on Sunday night. Officials are monitoring the situation, a spokesman confirmed.
