More than $1.2 million was bet across the state in the first 11 days that computer and telephone betting was approved in this state. It is known as account wagering. There is no way of telling yet if this is affecting attendance and live betting at Santa Anita Park. Two providers of online betting, XpressBet and TV Games, where approved by the California Horse Racing Board. Xpress Bet is owned by Magna Corp., which owns Santa Anita Park.
Santa Anita Park race track attendance is on the upswing. It drew 40,810 on Friday, its biggest opening day turnout since 2011. On-track attendance was up 33% over last year, partly because of the free infield admission program, which drew more than 10,000 people. Total wagering, including bets placed from all over the country, rose nearly 30% to more than $17 million. On-site betting was more than $3.4 million. The City of Arcadia gets 1/3 of 1% of all on-site wagering.
Santa Anita Park at a crossroads. Racetrack remains profitable but a string of cancellations, fewer horses in the running, and off-track betting show problems in the backstretch.
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.
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.
Telephone and online wagering was approved by the California Horse Racing Board on Thursday. Now gamblers may place bets at Santa Anita Park from home.
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.
Santa Anita Park is making a bid for the 2012 Breeders' Cup. Former Breeders' Cup CEO Greg Avioli has taken over as Chief Executive Officer of Stronach Entertainment, and now oversees Stronach Group's race tracks and other assets. Avioli's experience brings strength to Santa Anita Park's bid. Santa Anita Park last hosted the Breeders' Cup in 2008 and 2009. The city of Arcadia gets one-third of 1 percent of all monies bet on the track. The event generated nearly $57,000 in betting handle in 2008 and nearly $58,000 in 2009 for the city.
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.
Santa Anita Park kicks off racing season with new events and Hollywood tie-in to HBO television series "Luck." There is a new Luck Lounge and a new Kids Zone.
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.
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.
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.
A multi-million dollar remodeling at Santa Anita Park will include a restoration of the Chandelier Room to its former glamour. The room is nearly 80 years old (probably not true, according to Sandy Snider), and is the most popular event venue at the track. Other portions of the grandstand will be renovated and will remain true to the architectural and design style of the Art Deco period that originally inspired it.
John Shear (pictured), a 5-foot, 110-pound, 90-year-old paddock supervisor at Santa Anita Park, nearly lost his life when he threw himself in the path of a runaway horse on March 12 to protect a little girl he didn't know. He has worked seasonally for Santa Anita Park for nearly 50 years. He sustained a fractured pelvis and other injuries but is recuperating at home now. He is a hero.
The Breeders' Cup, known as the world championship of horse racing, was held at Santa Anita Park last Friday and Saturday. The event has helped the local economy in Arcadia, with an estimated $50 million spent on restaurants, hotels, wagering, taxis, etc.
Drainage problems with the Cushion Track cause the cancellation of races. Santa Anita Park race track executives weigh options including shutting down and moving races to Hollywood Park, or installing a completely new surface.