Santa Anita Park race track will unveil a 1000-pound bronze statue of popular race horse John Henry and a historical marker covering 75 years of the race track's history, as part of its 75th anniversary this Saturday. The bronze statue cost more than $100,000. The marker was done by the Arcadia Historical Society.
Art Wilson writes about some of the famous names in Santa Anita Park's 75 year history, including Charlie Whittingham, Bill Shoemaker, Laffit Pincay, Jr., Seabiscuit, Citation and John Henry.
Life is Sweet (race horse) was the winner of the Grade I $2 million Ladies' Classic at the Breeders' Cup XXVI. Rider Garrett Gomez and Life is Sweet are shown in a photo. More recap and news is in an accompanying article "Europeans seek another Classic performance."
Dennis Mills, vice chairman and CEO of Canada-based MI Developments, which owns Santa Anita Park, said the company will be unveiling a new business plan. This new business plan has many horse racing industry people worried about the future.
Zenyatta, a filly and the kind of sensational race horse that comes along only once in a generation, scored perhaps the greatest victory in the history of the Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita Park. With jockey Mike Smith (in photo), Zenyatta wins the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic by one length. Other winners are listed.
Art Wilson recaps the Santa Anita Handicap "Big 'Cap" race that took place yesterday. Included is a photo of race horse "Misremembered" and jockey Martin Garcia, who won the Grade I, $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap.
A life-size bronze statue of race horse Zenyatta was unveiled at Santa Anita Park yesterday. Zenyatta owners Jerry and Ann Moss were present. Photos and captions only.
Oak Tree Racing leaves Santa Anita Park after 41 years and races at Hollywood Park for its 42nd season, starting today. It is a 22-day season that consists of four 4-day race weeks. Oak Tree's lease at Santa Anita Park was voided by MI Developments.
Innovations were unveiled at the opening day of Santa Anita Park. There is a new horseshoe - shaped bar and the SIRONA restaurant overlooking the paddock plus a new entertainment area and two grills now under construction. A list of people seen in the crowd is included.
Race horse Bourbon Bay became the first horse in 17 years to sweep Santa Anita Park's trio of marathon graded turf stakes races with a half-length victory in the $150,000 Grade 2 San Juan Capistrano Handicap on closing day of the track's 75th anniversary meeting. The jockey was Rafael Bejarano, the first jockey since Laffit Pincay, Jr. in 1978-1981 to win three consecutive Santa Anita Park riding titles.
Two articles describe this coming weekend's Breeders' Cup race at Santa Anita Park. "Unbeaten Zenyatta already looks like a Classic choice," p. B1 and "Smart money may be on Einstein," p. B3.
Opening day of its 72nd season of thoroughbred racing at Santa Anita Park brought in 33,112 fans. Santa Anita Park officials were pleased with the turnout.
Santa Anita Park and Oak Tree Racing Association are vying for the same fall racing dates in 2011. The California Horse Racing Board will meet today to discuss awarding the September 28, 2011 through November 6, 2011 dates.