1 of 3

Fans pose for a picture in front of the Zenyatta statue at Santa Anita Park, Friday, Nov. 1, 2019, in Arcadia, Calif. It's the 10th anniversary of the superstar Mare's victory in the Breeders' Cup Classic. (AP Photo/Beth Harris)

2 of 3

A horse warms up prior to the Breeders' Cup horse races at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., Friday, Nov. 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

3 of 3

Connie Broge arrives for the Breeders' Cup horse races at Santa Anita Park, Friday, Nov. 1, 2019, in Arcadia, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Fans stream into Santa Anita for Breeders' Cup

By Associated Press AP

PUBLISHED 4:25 PM ET Nov. 01, 2019

ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) — Fans are streaming into Santa Anita for opening day of the Breeders' Cup.

A handful of protesters urging the end of horse racing in California toted signs outside one of the track's gates, but they were outnumbered by a larger group of racing industry workers carrying signs supporting horses and their livelihood at a nearby gate.

Santa Anita has been the site of 36 horse deaths since December.

Bettors waited in lines under blue skies and temperatures in the upper 70s with no sign of smoke from wildfires that have plagued Southern California in recent days.

There are five Breeders' Cup races on Friday, highlighted by the $2 million Juvenile.

Another nine races will be run Saturday.

___

More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-Sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports