Bill Quiggle, who has been Santa Anita Park track superintendent since 1949, retired at the end of the 1977 racing season. The track and all plantings were his domain.
Karen Garr is one of 400 pari-mutual clerks behind the betting windows at Arcadia's Santa Anita Park. The 44 year old Arcadia resident has been close to the race track since 1969, when she started as a "pony girl" in the back stretch of Santa Anita Park.
Santa Anita Park will have thoroughbred racing from December 26 through April 22, a season expanded by two weeks. The horse racing bill AB 3383 provided other changes in the sport that will affect Santa Anita Park.
1. George Woolf, famous jockey of the 1930s. Arcadia Tribune news photo. August 16, 1973. 2. George Woolf. Arcadia Diamond Jubilee edition of the Pasadena Star News September 12, 1978. 3. Longden: a young 69. Los Angeles Times February 14, 1976. 4. A birthday cake that's long, long, Longde…
1. George Woolf, famous jockey of the 1930s. Arcadia Tribune news photo. August 16, 1973.
2. George Woolf. Arcadia Diamond Jubilee edition of the Pasadena Star News September 12, 1978.
3. Longden: a young 69. Los Angeles Times February 14, 1976.
4. A birthday cake that's long, long, Longden. Arcadia Tribune February 11, 1979.
5. How sweet it was. Arcadia Tribune news photo February 18, 1979.
6. Another Longden finds success in racing. Los Angeles Times - circa early 1970s.
7. He grew up in the valley and now he's a star jockey at Santa Anita. Arcadia News-Post March 11, 1974. (Steve Valdez)
8. Cauthen wins praise in Santa Anita debut. Arcadia Tribune January 27, 1977.
9. Smothers sorts Santa Anita silks. (Frank Smothers) Arcadia Tribune October 21, 1976.
10. Mittie's work adds to track's pageantry. Arcadia Tribune October 14, 1976.
11. She keeps the jockey in bright colors. (Mittie Lovell) Arcadia News Post September 17, 1969.
12. Anita Weil Hanson retiring. news clip. n.d., circa May 1969.
13. Santa Anita's Anita (Anita Weil Hanson). Los Angeles Times May 19, 1969.
14. Miss Weil's 32 years on the job. Los Angeles Times February 11, 1969.
15. Santa Anita: city within a city. Westways, January 1960.
16. 5,000 lbs of paper used weekly in racing book. (Fred Trumpf). Arcadia Tribune February 26, 1978.
17. In the money (room) at Santa Anita. (John Detchemendy).Los Angeles Magazine February 1976.
18. Village smithy counterpart now working in Arcadia (Wally Rohrer). Arcadia News-Post April 6, 1971.
19. Hustling horses often a labor of love for agent (John Stillson). News clip January 26, 1978.
20. Racing secretary, Santa Anita's Eilken, manages residence for equine elite. Thoroughbred of California, December 1975.
21. Bird-watching (rail, early, etc.) at Santa Anita. Los Angeles Times West Magazine February 5, 1967.
22. Santa Anita dirt doctor (William Quigley, maintenance supervisor) Western Horseman August 1971.
23. Santa Anita: art deco on the morning line. New West magazine January 31, 1977.
24. Hazel Longden sees her dream come true. Arcadia Tribune May 24, 1981.
25. Newsmaker of the Year: An irresistible force, frankly (Frank Stronach) Thoroughbred Times v.15 n.51 December 18, 1999 p.1
26. Shoe-In by William Murray. (Bill Shoemaker) Westways, May 1980, p. 34-37+.
27. "Hall of fame jockey dies." Pasadena Star News, February 15, 2003. Jockey Johnny Longden dies at age 96. He was the first to win 6,000 races.
28. "Longden riding career ends on high notes of triumph." Arcadia Tribune, March 17, 1966.
29. Jockey Johnny Longden of Arcadia scored his 5,000th victory. Arcadia Tribune, March 4, 1957.
30. Jockey Laffit Pincay, Jr. Commemorative 2000.
31. Arcadia city council honors George Haines, Santa Anita President. Arcadia Weekly, p. 7. September 22, 2011.
32. Former Santa Anita employee Ambrosio Maldonado to celebrate 90th birthday - Dec. 7. Arcadia Weekly, December 5, 2013.
33. Remembrance of Alan Staller, a long-time Santa Anita Park employee. The Weekly Star (supplement to Pasadena Star News), June 15, 2014.
34. Shear is gone but never forgotten at Santa Anita. John Shear, long-time paddock worker better known as "Paddock Captain" at Santa Anita passes away at 102. The Arcadia centenarian is best known for risking his own life in 2011 by saving a 5-year-old girl from being trampled. Pasadena Star News, December 15, 2023, p. B4.
The Thoroughbred Racing Association of California is trying to put together a bid for Santa Anita Park, with plans to run it as a nonprofit arm of the Thoroughbred Owners of California. Santa Anita Park race track was to be auctioned this week but no acceptable opening bid was made.
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.
Santa Anita Park has live-racing for the first time on the same day as Kentucky Derby. The track will be rooting for Santa Anita Derby winner California Chrome, a California-bred race horse.
Horses at Santa Anita Park suffered fatal racing injuries at more than twice the rate of horses competing at California's other 3 major thoroughbred tracks over the last fiscal year, according to statistics. The fatality rate spiked at Santa Anita Park after the switch from a synthetic running surface back to a dirt track in 2010. There were 12 fatalities, or 3.7 per 1,000 starts, at Santa Anita Park in the last fiscal year.
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.
Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit stripped of crown. Medina Spirit is no longer the winner of the 2021 Kentucky Derby. The colt died unexpectedly in December 2021 at Santa Anita Park and was unofficially disqualified by Kentucky racing officials yesterday for failing a drug test after winning the race. This ruling is a blow for famed trainer Bob Baffert.
Santa Anita Park is searching for new great voice to announce races since Trevor Denman will be retiring. In the meantime, Frank Mirahmadi and Michael Wrona will share announcer duties.
Dr. Dino Clarizio, Medical Director for the California Thoroughbred Horsemen's Foundation, spends one day every week at the Clinic he helps operate at Santa Anita Park race track caring for race track personnel and their families.
Race horse Exaggerator is going to the Kentucky Derby after a victory at Santa Anita Derby Day. Race horse California Chrome is back on track now, 2 years after wins at Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes and he might be better than before.