Oak Tree Racing Association's 1996 season started with a bang on October 2. Patrons discovered a new look with the $3.5 million improvement programs completed over the summer at Santa Anita Park race track.
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.
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.
Santa Anita Park has been purchased by Frank Stronach for $126 million through MI Development, the real estate, entertainment unit of Magna International Inc., Canada's largest auto-parts manufacturer, of which Stronach is chairman.
The City Council gave a first reading to an ordinance that would allow the FrontRunner restaurant at Santa Anita Park race track to be open year round instead of just during the race season.
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.
1. Festival Santa Anita follow-up Report dated October 27 1994 from Don Penman, Project Consultant to the Mayor and embers of the City Council. 2. On the Fast Track. (Corey Nakatani, jockey) Los Angeles Times February 16, 1995. 3. News release from the Santa Anita Companies dated March 22, 19…
1. Festival Santa Anita follow-up Report dated October 27 1994 from Don Penman, Project Consultant to the Mayor and embers of the City Council.
2. On the Fast Track. (Corey Nakatani, jockey) Los Angeles Times February 16, 1995.
3. News release from the Santa Anita Companies dated March 22, 1995. Santa Anita Files Application for Development of Arcadia Property.
4. Santa Anita has plan for Domed Theater. Los Angeles Times, San Gabriel Valley Section. December 5, 1993.
5. Doc Strub had a racing vision. Los Angeles Times, Section C, p.1. Column by Jim Murray. December 26, 1991.
6. Big Hoss Night at Santa Anita Park May 20, 1995. Flyer from Santa Anita Park for event sponsored by Cigna Healthcare for Seniors.
7. Proposed SART (Santa Anita Realty Enterprises, Inc) Commercial Entertainment Planned Development Project. 1995.
8. "There's nothing like the real thing," Pasadena Magazine Fall 1994.
9. A Day at the Races. L.A. Times Valley edition March 18, 1994.
10. Promotional brochure Santa Anita Park The Great Group Place. 1993.
11. Horse racing's biggest event returns to Santa Anita. Breeders' Cup 1993. Pasadena Star News Special Section November 5, 1993.
12. California's Railbird Heaven by William Murray. New York Times Magazine. March 6, 1994.
13. Winner's Circle vol. 1 no. 2, November 1995.
14. Santa Anita A-Z. c.1995 Booklet.
15. Tracks go for broke to attract younger clientele. Orange County Register. July 23, 1997.
16. Santa Anita Rebounds to stabilize on-track business. Publicity brochure, 1997.
17. Program for the 1-Million Santa Anita handicap on March 4, 2000 and the $1,000,000 Santa Anita Derby on April 8, 2000.
18. Staff report to the Mayor and City Council from Don Penman, Deputy City Manager/Development Services on review and recommendation to (1) Adopt Resolution 6086 reaffirming the City's support for live horse racing at Santa Anita Park and encouraging any new owners of the Santa Anita Racetrack to continue to conduct live horse racing at Santa Anita Park as one of the nation's pre-eminent horse racing facilities; and (2) Review the zoning and allowable uses on the race track property. November 17, 1998.
19. Four menus from opening day, December 26, 1999 from Frontrunner restaurant at Santa Anita Park, each with a different watercolor painted for the Los Angeles Turf Club by renowned artist Sandra Oppegard.
20. Wikipedia.org article about race horse Best Pal (1988-1998), a Santa Anita Handicap and Charles H. Strub Stakes winner in 1992. Retrieved from World Wide Web July 2, 2013. See also Arcadia Authors section in History Room for book Best Pal by James Val.
21. ESPN.com article about race horse Best Pal (1988-1998), a Santa Anita Handicap and Charles H. Strub Stakes winner in 1992. Retrieved from World Wide Web July 1, 2013. See also Arcadia Authors section in History Room for book Best Pal by James Val.
22. Robert P. Strub, former head of Santa Anita and son of the founder of Santa Anita Park, Charles H. Strub, has died at the age of 74. Los Angeles Times ( ProQuest Historical), May 6, 1993.