The Oak Tree Racing Association reversed a national trend of declining on-track attendance by finishing its 28th meeting at Santa Anita Park with a 1.1% increase in on-track attendance.
The Santa Anita Park race track will be allowed to work round-the-clock on the renovations to be completed before the beginning of Oak Tree on September 29th.
Santa Anita Companies have submitted a down-scaled entertainment complex with the new proposal for developing the South parking lot of the Santa Anita Park race track property.
Meditrust will be selling Santa Anita Park race track at a lower price than the $400 million purchase price about a year ago. Due to laws changing in July, tax advantages are no longer available.
The opening day of Oak Tree marked the introduction of satellite wagering on Santa Anita Park races at Hollywood Park and Los Alamitos. After years of resistance, Santa Anita Park has fully embraced satellite wagering in a bid to win back fans lost to the lottery and urban congestion.
Gov. Pete Wilson has signed a tax cut bill that cuts in half the amount of taxes race tracks pay on daily wagering. The news was greeted with enthusiasm at Santa Anita Park.
Andrea Sanchez, 40, and her daughter Olivia, 24, filed a civil lawsuit, claiming they suffered sexual harassment and were asked for sex in exchange for more working hours at the Santa Anita Park race track.
Santa Anita Park race track sold to Frank Stronach, a Canadian billionaire businessman and horse owner. The property is valuable to the city for sales tax reasons.