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.
Cities fighting a sports betting ballot initiative. A coalition claims the state measure, from Pechanga Resort Casino, referred to as the Tribal Sports Wagering Act, would fuel excessive litigation against card rooms, potentially shutting them down, effectively killing 32,000 jobs. It would allow sports wagering at tribal casinos and at four California racetracks-Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Los Alamitos Race Course in Cypress, Del Mar in San Diego, and Golden Gate Fields in Berkeley.
Plaza de las Fiestas, a new multipurpose arena in the northwest quadrant of the infield at the Santa Anita Park, has been created to accommodate Family Faire weekend outings for groups of 25 or more, as well as company picnics, concerts, trade shows, equine shows and other special occasions that can share the day with racing.
California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) rebuffs Santa Anita Park, gives Pleasonton thumbs up. Tensions had risen when Craig Fravel, executive vice chairman of 1/ST Racing, which runs Santa Anita Park for the Stronach Group, said in a letter to CHRB members that the Arcadia track might close if Southern California interests don't receive more simulcast wagering revenue, which would have happened if Northern California was denied a major meet.
Santa Anita Park will auction off 10 paintings by Sir Alfred J. Munnings worth an estimated $10 million. They will be sold by Sotheby's New York City auction house on Dec. 1, 1998.
Concerns about a proposed entertainment complex next to Santa Anita Park race track have been expressed by representatives of three stores in the Santa Anita Fashion Park.
55,130 racing fans saw the 10th Breeder's Cup, which included the upset 133-1 final race win by Arcangues. Over $36 million was wagered, including $15 million in on-track betting.
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.
Santa Anita meet opens: no fans but record betting. Santa Anita park began its 84th winter-spring meet yesterday with no audience, but had a record-breaking opening day in betting handle, as $23,003,159 was wagered on the 11-race card. The old record of $20,491,016 was set in 2018. First-year General Manager Nate Newby hopes fans will be allowed back soon. Until such time only essential personnel and horses' owners are allowed to attend races.
Some residents north of Santa Anita Park are organizing to protest plans to build an enclosed 16,000 capacity concert arena in an unused portion of the race track parking lot.
City officials met with new Santa Anita Park owner Frank Stronach to discuss his plans for the race track. He wants to build a retail and entertainment village and an interactive horse racing theme park.