The Oak Tree Racing Association has allocated $365,000 to the University of California, Davis, Veterinary School for the study of the heart and lungs of the thoroughbred.
Ray Rogers, vice president and general manager, is celebrating his 25th anniversary with Santa Anita Park. Rogers discusses the past and future of Santa Anita.
Oak Tree Racing Association's autumn season will begin October 17. The 25 day session offers 16 stakes races with record purses. Several new features including Pick Six wagering will be offered.
The 1980 Oak Tree Racing Association season set records in attendance, parimutual handle, wagering and horsemen benefits. Awards for the meet are enumerated: John Henry was voted Horse of the Meeting. Sandy Hawley won the riding championship.
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.
Summary of the amount of money wagered during the most recent meeting. For the 24 day Oak Tree meet, $74.5 million was bet. Of that, $62.6 million was returned to bettors. The balance went back into circulation through various channels, including state and local taxes.
Honorary service awards were given by the PTA Council to Ray Rogers, VP and General Manager of Santa Anita Park race track; Jeanne Saunders, currently serving on the Library Board; and Dr. Edward Ryan, Superintendent of Schools. Biographic sketches of each included.
A $3 million building project to increase stable capacity by 150 stalls is underway at Santa Anita Park. Completion, which is planned before the start of the Oak Tree meeting, will bring the total number of stalls to 2,100. The project is discussed in detail.
As part of a $2.6 million capital improvements program, Santa Anita Park race track has built a 2-story addition to the east end of the club-house. The 2nd story patio will be open during the Oak Tree meet, with a third story to be constructed next year.
Council revises tax for admissions over race track protests. The revisions recommended apply to the existing admissions tax (a tax on other events, entertainment, amusement or competition other than horse racing held on premises with a capacity of 1,000 or more.)
Santa Anita Park set a record for total attendance (2,690,834) and had it highest daily average attendance (31,289) since 1948, as the 1981-82 meeting closed April 21. Facts and figures about the racing season are presented.
The California Museum of Science and Industry in Los Angeles has applied for a 2 week fair race meeting, to be held at Santa Anita Park Race Track from September 30 to October 10, 1979.