Increases in total attendance and total parimutuel handle, compared to last season, and a decline in daily average were in evidence in figures released after the November 16 close of the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita Park.
Santa Anita Park completed its most successful season ever with $445 million wagered. Total attendance was also an all-time high. The admission tax netted the city $1.1 million. The Park's other contributions to the city are discussed.
1. Racing California's oasis: Santa Anita is prospering. New York Times February 5, 1989. 2. The King of Sports. Complimentary booklet by Santa Anita Park on the history of horse racing. 1981. 3. Santa Anita: a citizen of Arcadia, concerned, contributing, conscientious. Booklet attempting…
1. Racing California's oasis: Santa Anita is prospering. New York Times February 5, 1989.
2. The King of Sports. Complimentary booklet by Santa Anita Park on the history of horse racing. 1981.
3. Santa Anita: a citizen of Arcadia, concerned, contributing, conscientious. Booklet attempting to show Santa Anita's contributions to Arcadia. January 1982.
4. What sport does L.A. follow? Complimentary handout sheet in Santa Anita Post Times. January 1983.
5. Santa Anita 50 years - 1934-1984. Newspaper booklet published in the Pasadena Star News February 28, 1985.
6. One day at Santa Anita. Pasadena Star News January 15, 1989.
7. The Santa Anita Spectacle. Color photo by Clyde Reavis. 1983.
8. Saenz earns promotion at Santa Anita Park. Arcadia Tribune. December 23, 1987.
9. Southern California ITW locations for Santa Anita Park. November 1988.
10. Everything you ever wanted to know about racing at Santa Anita but were afraid to ask. Second edition Santa Anita Park February 1984.
11. They're Off and Running by Joe Jares. Westways, October 1982, pp. 32-34.
12. Great Jockeys Santa Anita Folio I. Prints of painted images of jockeys: Sandy Hawley, Laffit Pincay, Jr., William Shoemaker, Chris McCarron, Darrel McHargue.
Santa Anita Park officials blamed February's rain for a 12.8 percent drop in average daily attendance at Santa Anita Park, but were heartened because the total money bet on and off track soared to a record of more than $1 billion.
Santa Anita Park enjoyed its most successful opening day ever. Attendance, including the satellites, was 75,071 and $10,795,574 was wagered. In Arcadia, 65,164 passed through the turnstiles, betting $9,275,840.
Air conditioning is being installed at the track as part of $3.4 million in improvements being made this summer in preparation for the first season of inter-track wagering offered at Santa Anita Park this year from July 27 to September 14.
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.
5,133 attended the first day of inter-track wagering at Santa Anita Park where wagering was offered on racing at Del Mar. $1,069,980 was wagered on the simulcast races. Santa Anita Park is one of 10 off-track wagering satellites.
Local 280 of the Parimutuel Guild of California voted not to strike Santa Anita Park on opening day. The track had made contingency plans in preparation for the threatened strike but the clerks endorsed the proposed contract raising clerks pay at satellite wagering sites.
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.
A bill that could generate an estimated $700,000 yearly in additional race track revenue for Arcadia cleared the State Assembly on Thursday and now heads for the Senate. The bill, AB 2780, seeks to authorize Arcadia and other cities to collect up to 1/3 of 1% of the total amount bet at a race track within their boundaries if the city were willing to forego any tax on admissions or parking. Arcadia has never charged a parking tax at Santa Anita Park. Arcadia city officials are neutral at this point, according to City Manager George Watts.
Santa Anita Park concluded its 2002-2003 season on April 20 with a total of more than $1 billion wagered during the 85-day meet. Average daily handle was $11.8 million, representing a decrease of approximately 2% from 2002.
Santa Anita Park Opening Day this season was December 28, 2019. Mike Smith, Hall of Fame jockey, rode 4 stakes winners, including Omaha Beach for Grade 1 record. The attendance was 35,085.
In a pre-dawn raid at Santa Anita Park race track, immigration and border patrol agents arrested 173 illegal aliens from 8 countries. As many as 600 other illegals believed to be working at Santa Anita Park escaped arrest by moving to Hollywood Park.