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Originally Posted by dilanesp
Honestly, I wish the rest of the country would just follow California's approach. We got rid of the Strub series (other than the Malibu) and don't schedule any 3 year old main track races from the summer on. But what we offer is plenty of opportunities for 3 year olds to face older horses.
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The Strub series was unique and often drew horses from back east and those try to restart their careers after disappearing during the Triple Crown trail. Santa Anita killed it by changing the distances and scheduling around. Before that, and when there were horses around, it was a very popular series.
The elimination of both the San Fernando and Strub weren't really done to encourage horses to start in the other 4yo and up races, because Santa Anita (read: Stronach Group) is trying to kill those races, too; turning the San Antonio into a curious prep for the Pegasus at Gulfstream while watching the San Pasqual and even the Big Cap wither away like a couple of prunes...
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And honestly, with so many 3 year olds retiring early, that's what should happen. In other words, instead of going in the direction you suggest, dump the Travers instead and double the purse of the Woodward. Even offer the 3 year olds a big weight break if it will help draw them.
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Most of the major 3yos that have retired early in the last couple of decades did so because they were injured, not because of stud deals. So that plan wouldn't necessarily work. Off the top of my head, of the one's that retired arbitrarily, I think only Lookin At Lucky (BC Classic) and Orb (Jockey Club Gold Cup) failed to take on older horses more than once. Into Mischief, and it's debatable whether he was a major 3yo, might be the only one he never faced his elders.
