Summary of a vintage promotional booklet about Santa Anita Park havings its inaugural race on Christmas Day, December 25, 1934. At the time, Los Angeles Turf Club Inc. was the owner and operator of Santa Anita Park and there were 53 racing days that first season. Charter stockholder and membership requirements are discussed.
Very large crowd is seen in this photo taken from upper floors of Club House at Santa Anita Park. Focus is particularly on walking ring where a number of horses are with their handlers.
Stables area of Santa Anita Park is seen in this morning scene. About six horses and handlers are seen with San Gabriel Mountains for a back drop. Photo is framed on left and across top by Pepper tree.
View of Santa Anita Race Track from the parking lot, looking toward the front entrance. View includes hundreds of 1930's era automobiles in parking lot, all facing front. Tree on left of photo.
Paul Graf, 90, of New Albany, Indiana, came back to Arcadia to see Santa Anita Park again. He had been based there as a United States Army staff sergeant during World War II, when the track was turned over to the Army Ordnance Corps for training purposes and was officially renamed Camp Santa Anita. Graf said he used to run for exercise on the Anita Chiquita training track, which was eliminated when the Santa Anita Fashion Park was built in the 1970s. Graf had arrived at Camp Santa Anita around November 1942, after the site had already been used as the Japanese Assembly Center. Photo shows Graf holding an issue of Man O' War, a newspaper issued by army personnel at Camp Santa Anita.
About ten thoroughbreds and jockeys, round turn toward finish of a race at Santa Anita Park. San Gabriel Mountains loom up behind. One can tell that this is early years of the track because of the dust kicked up by horses. Later, track was completely excavated and new improved mixture was put in place.
Aerial view from east looking west over Santa Anita Race Track shortly after its opening. Baldwin Avenue shows just faintly as a white line above track barns. Note total absence of homes in what we call Santa Anita Village and Lower Rancho.
Aerial view toward SW from position just north of Santa Anita Race Track with large crowd in attendance. View shows planting design on the infield, the clubhouse, and to the west, the former training track belonging to Santa Anita. This and stables were removed or relocated to make room for the Fashion Park. Baldwin Avenue was not cut through at this time. This photo belongs to the Huntington Library. It is shown here for research only.
View north to Clubhouse and Grandstand at Santa Anita Race Track. There is large oak in foreground on right side of photo. San Gabriel Valley Mountains in background.
Aerial view looking west across Santa Anita Park from a position about Santa Anita Avenue just north of Huntington Drive. In the upper right portion of the photo can be seen the extensive earthwork done for the track Anita Baldwin and Joe Smoot planned to build. That vast area now is entirely built with homes and apartments and is called Santa Anita Village. Present-day Baldwin Avenue would follow the line shown by the Ranch Road bisecting the photo from right to left just east of the track abandoned by Anita Baldwin and Joe Smoot.
Aerial view looking south over Santa Anita Race Track on a day of very heavy attendance. The floral plantings which form designs in the in-field are shown clearly. Also seen are: the clubhouse, the stables, and the training track. These latter were either moved or done away with to make way for the Fashion Park. Main gate was at NE corner of Huntington Drive and Baldwin, which was not cut through at that time. This photo belongs to the Huntington Library. It is shown here for research only.
Aerial view looking northeast across Santa Anita Park toward mountains. Note training track called Anita Chiquita has been added (lower left corner), open grandstand has been added to west of covered stand. Note, too, that work has begun to change Balloon School site to Arcadia County Park. Santa Anita Avenue is tree-lined street running entire width of photo about middle of print.
View from grandstand at Santa Anita Race Track, in a panorama view of entire track and surrounding area. Photo was taken during a meet -- probably the first one. The San Gabriel Mountains form a back drop.
Aerial view toward NE. Main thoroughfare cutting across east to west with young trees planted on north side, is Huntington Drive. Main race track at Santa Anita is seen almost directly in center of photo, with Club House on side closest to camera. The smaller oval near left edge of photo was a training track belonging to Santa Anita which was removed for the Fashion Park. The Chantry Flats Road up to Santa Anita Canyon is clearly seen as it zig-zags around San Gabriel Mountains. This photo belongs to the Huntington Library. It is shown here for research only.
Michillinda Avenue is street running parallel to left edge of photo. Santa Anita Avenue is close to right edge of photo. Four tracks are in view. Left to right they would be: 1. Training track used by Elias J. "Lucky" Baldwin, 2. Aborted L. A. Jockey Club Track project of Anita Baldwin and Joe Smoot in 1933, 3. Small training track belonging to Santa Anita Park Race Track, and 4. Main track and grandstand of Santa Anita Park. Arcadia County Park is seen in lower right portion of photo.
Aerial view looking west over Santa Anita Park. Photo was taken from about over intersection of Colorado Place and Huntington Drive. Note area that was to become Los Angeles County Arboretum across top of photo. Note an open Grandstand has been added to the west of original covered one. There is a small dirigible in lower right corner carrying a sign that seems to read:modern motel. Present Baldwin Avenue would run where road in this photo is seen parallel to top of photo.
Anita Baldwin congratulating jockey Richards and trainer Handlen probably in 1935 or 1936. Floral piece appears to be in the shape of a peacock. Note the Maltese cross on front of jockey's trousers.
In this aerial view looking toward the east, the oval directly in the center of photo was a training track belonging to Santa Anita. This was removed to make room for the Fashion Park mall. The small circular track across what is now Baldwin Avenue and the oval track farther south belonged to a private riding stable. The remains of the Los Angeles Jockey Club Track which Joe Smoot and Anita Baldwin started but did not complete in 1933, can be seen in lower right corner. This photo belongs to the Huntington Library. It is shown here for research only.
World War II internees reunite. Japanese Americans detained at Santa Anita Park before being sent to camps share photos, memories and friendship, at 75th anniversary event in Little Tokyo. See hard copy in VF Assembly Center.