Arcadia's iconic Santa Anita Park hires consultant Dennis Moore to work on the condition of the one mile training track, in the wake of 21 horse deaths since December 2018.
Dennis Moore, 67 year old track superintendent since November 2014, helps Santa Anita Park race track shine, horses stay safe. He is currently maintaining the racing surfaces at Santa Anita Park, Los Alamitos, and Del Mar.
Santa Anita Park modifiest rack after horse deaths. It is the first significant change in 67 years. Horses running 6 and 6 1/2 furlongs will instead start on a new turf chute under construction at the racetrack's northeast corner, near the Gate 5 entrance. Santa Anita Park will host a short meet September 19-October 25, still without spectators due to the coronavirus. The racing board delayed the start of the meet to give the horses time to rest and to ensure its COVID-19 protocols were in place. County officials recorded 38 coronavirus cases at Santa Anita Park by the end of its previous meet in June.
Santa Anita Park names Dennis Moore, 63, as track superintendent, effective immediately. Moore has built and maintained track surfaces the world over for the past 40 years.
Santa Anita Park officials hail dramatic drop in horse fatalities. Officials called the safety record a 62.5% improvement over the previous year and 74% improvement since spring of 2019, when 42 horses died, sparking debate about safety issues at the track and about horse racing in general.
Santa Anita Park's main track to undergo major renovation beginning July 11. Track is transitioning to a single source material consisting of highly coveted El Segundo Sand, a natural soil that will ensure balanced drainage during periods of wet weather and uniform, safe cushion year round. Dennis Moore is Track Superintendent.
Santa Anita Park track switches back to natural track surface of "El Segundo sand." The El Segundo sand is coveted for its uniformity, which is paramount to track safety, a top concern for Track Superintendent Dennis Moore. Main track to re-open for training September 2. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 1, 29, August 28, 2014.