About 20 demonstrators organized by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) protested the perceived mistreatment of race horses in front of Santa Anita Park during the Breeders' Cup. Pictured is Natalie Stauffer of San Francisco.
Grant Chu, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ming R. Chu of Arcadia, received a Bachelor of Science degree in neuroscience from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.
Governor Gray Davis has signed into law a bill allowing telephone and Internet wagering on horse races in California. The bill was authored by Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg.
Pioneer of the Nile (the horse) won the Santa Anita Derby this year and will go on to run the Kentucky Derby. Bob Baffert is the trainer and Garrett Gomez is the jockey.
Dr. Charles H. Strub brought horse racing back to Arcadia. After the state made it legal again in 1930, Anita Baldwin tried to revive her father, Elias J. "Lucky" Baldwin's dream of a Santa Anita Racetrack. She worked with Joe Smoot but he couldn't achieve this, even though Arcadia City Council licensed his Santa Anita Jockey Club. San Francisco dentist Charles H. Strub (pronounced Stroob), owner of the San Francisco Seals baseball team, got a license for the Los Angeles Turf Club and founded Santa Anita Park with Hal Roach and other promoters. The track was designed by Gordon Kaufman and opened December 25, 1934.
The race horse "Return of the King" with jockey Martin Pedroza, won a race at Santa Anita Park. The horse belonged to the Ortega family, some of whom were killed by Bruce Pardo in a Christmas Eve massacre in Covina.
Trainers and owners found to have sent injured or retired racehorses to slaughter will be banned from running or stabling horses at Santa Anita Park under a new policy from Magna Entertainment Corporation. Santa Anita Park President Ron Charles hopes to ensure the safety of its racehorses by monitoring injured or retired horses and keeping dealers known to sell horses for slaughter off the property. The policy was entered into the track's horseman's agreement, which governs racing terms and conditions.
Favored horse Sweet Catomine loses the Santa Anita Derby to Buzzards Bay making Buzzards' trainer Jeff Mullins the first trainer to earn three consecutive wins in the Santa Anita Derby.
Santa Anita Park has come up with two options to solve its drainage issues caused by the Cushion Track. Santa Anita Park president Ron Charles will announce his decision Thursday. Santa Anita had to cancel three consecutive days of horse racing for the first time in its 71-year history, due to heavy rainfall.
More than $1.2 million was bet across the state in the first 11 days that computer and telephone betting was approved in this state. It is known as account wagering. There is no way of telling yet if this is affecting attendance and live betting at Santa Anita Park. Two providers of online betting, XpressBet and TV Games, where approved by the California Horse Racing Board. Xpress Bet is owned by Magna Corp., which owns Santa Anita Park.
George Schwary's horse Georgie Boy and jockey Garrett Gomez won the $150,000 Grade II San Carlos Handicap at Santa Anita Park. Georgie Boy was trained by Kathy Walsh. Georgie Boy won last month's Sunshine Millions Spring.
The Thoroughbred Racing Association of California is trying to put together a bid for Santa Anita Park, with plans to run it as a nonprofit arm of the Thoroughbred Owners of California. Santa Anita Park race track was to be auctioned this week but no acceptable opening bid was made.
The 72nd $1 million Santa Anita Handicap is running today. Some of the top contenders are named Colonel John, Einstein, Cowboy Cal, Court Vision, and Matto Mondo. Helen Pitts is Einstein's trainer. Einstein is the son of horse Spend a Buck.
Local activist group Arcadia First was misinformed about plans to put 240 slot-style gambling machines known as "Horse Wizards" at The Shops at Santa Anita, the proposed Caruso mall development. George Haines, General Manager of Santa Anita Park race track, and Arcadia city officials say this is incorrect. There are no slot machines planned for the new mall.