2002 Breeders’ Cup Set for Santa Anita

Breeders’ Cup officials announced Friday that their eight-race card, with purses totaling $13 million, would be run at Santa Anita in the fall of 2002.

The announcement was expected. The Oak Tree Racing Assn., which conducts the meet at Santa Anita in the fall, had been bypassed last year when a major remodeling of the plant became an issue. Then Frank Stronach, who runs Santa Anita, recently rejoined the National Thoroughbred Racing Assn., which is a partner of the Breeders’ Cup. Breeders’ Cup policy requires that its races be held only at tracks that are NTRA members.

The Breeders’ Cup has been run at Santa Anita twice, in 1986 and 1993. The last time the Breeders’ Cup races were run in California was at Hollywood Park in 1997. This year’s Breeders’ Cup is scheduled for Belmont Park on Oct. 27.

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His business sagging at Santa Anita, Corey Nakatani will leave to ride at the Keeneland meet that runs from April 6-27. Nakatani was Santa Anita’s leading rider last year with 82 wins; through Friday, he had 22 wins and ranked eighth in the standings. “Corey feels that he’s not receiving the chances he deserves here,” said Nakatani’s agent, Bob Meldahl, who will not accompany the jockey to Kentucky. Nakatani’s book at Keeneland will be handled by Ron Ebanks, whose main rider, Shane Sellers, may not ride again after undergoing knee surgery. . . . Back from ankle surgery, undefeated La Feminn goes for her sixth consecutive victory today in the Las Flores Handicap. . . . A field of 12 is set for Sunday’s $100,000 Baldwin Stakes, down the hill for 3-year-olds at 6 1/2 furlongs. The race marks the return of Trailthefox, the Arlington-Washington Futurity winner who was 13th in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. The field, in post-position order: Flags At Dawn, Bills Paid, Piccolo Player, Media Mogul, Coral Key, Mining For Fun, Marine, Coil N Strike, Skip To The Stone, Dim Sums, Macabe and Trailthefox.