Santa Anita in “Luck” 2nd season

Less than 48-hours after the official debut of the pilot episode of HBO’s new high-profile “Luck” series, the network has already ordered a second season of the program filmed at Santa Anita Park and various locations in Arcadia, including Rod’s Grill, among other cities in the region.

After a disappointing viewing audience of only 1.1 million viewers of the show’s sneak preview in December, the total gross audience for multiple showings of the pilot, including Sunday’s much-publicized broadcast, more than 3.3 million viewers have watched the program to date, according to Michael Lombardo, president, HBO Programming.

Production is slated to begin in late February to take advantage of the crowds and live racing during Santa Anita’s regular season. The second season would debut in January 2013. Much of the production of the first season had to be filmed when there was no racing in the fall of 2010 when Oak Tree Racing unexpectedly moved to Hollywood Park and there was no fall meet at Santa Anita for the first time in decades. The original pilot had been filmed during Santa Anita’s regular winter/spring meet in 2010.

HBO’s second season order is for 10 episodes, one more than this season’s nine episodes, the second of which will premiere this weekend on the same day as the Super Bowl.

“Luck,” from director Michael Mann and “Deadwood” creator David Milch, both executive producers on the show, is a behind-the-track look at the world of horse racing and gambling’s denizens – owners, trainers, jockeys and gamblers, whose cast is led by Dustin Hoffman and Nick Nolte.

Season one regulars included Dennis Farina, John Ortiz, Richard Kind, Kevin Dunn, Ian Hart, Ritchie Coster, Jason Gedrick, Kerry Condon, Gary Stevens, Tom Payne, and Jill Hennessy.

— By Scott Hettrick