The Santa Anita turf course has undergone its annual renovation. The renovation includes approximately 10 acres (435,600 feet) of new sod laid atop the expansive racing surface.During Santa Anita's recently concluded winter-spring season, which began Dec. 28 and ended June 15, the turf course hosted 359 races (50.9% of all races) that had a combined 2,831 starters.“No other U.S. track with a single turf course stages a meet of this length while depending on turf as heavily as we do,” said Santa Anita's Director of Racing and Racing Secretary Jason Egan. “That level of reliance speaks to the exceptional professionalism of our turf maintenance team in keeping the surface in race-ready condition.”Track Superintendent Jesse Martinez and his team began stripping the existing course in its entirety following the meet's closing day. The new sod, composed again of Bandera Bermuda hybrid grass, was installed last week.Santa Anita's main Camino Real Turf Course is an about seven-furlong oval that measures 4,683 feet at the inside rail. Linked to the main course is Santa Anita's unique hillside turf course. It measures about 6 1/2 furlongs (4,297 feet) from the top of the hill to the finish line. In 2020, Santa Anita also added a turf chute to the main turf oval that allows for grass races to also be contested at both six furlongs and 6 1/2 furlongs.The post Annual Renovation for Santa Anita Turf Course appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.