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.
The 6th annual fall racing meeting closed November 3 and the directors of the Oak Tree Racing Association held a celebration. Vice President and General Manager Ray Rogers is pictured.
30 people were injured on opening day at Santa Anita Park when two men became involved in an altercation. One dropped a gun and this was enough to cause a wave of panic which spread through the crowd.
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.
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.
The Anheuser-Busch Inc. brewery will move its Clydesdale horses from the Santa Anita Park race track stables because of a disagreement in the cost of housing them.
An ordinance will be introduced for first reading by Arcadia City Council whereby the city would receive .33 of 1% of parimutuel wagers at Santa Anita Park race track. If ordinance is approved, city would eliminate admission tax.
Arcadia would lose approximately $472,268 yearly if Santa Anita Park race track were to close down and the 324 acre facility were to be developed with low density residential units. Losses would be partially offset by $190,750 in new property taxes and $278,482 miscellaneous taxes. New city services would account for a 6.18% increase in the city budget.
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.
Because of negative reactions by neighbors, it is "very doubtful" that Santa Anita Park race track will put a helipad on the north side of its property.
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.
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.
The California Museum of Science and Industry in Los Angeles has applied for a 2 week fair race meeting, to be held at Santa Anita Park Race Track from September 30 to October 10, 1979.
Chic Anderson, one of the finest thoroughbred racing announcers known for his work at the Kentucky Derby and other major races, has been named to be the announcer at Santa Anita Park for 1975.
City Council delayed action on racetrack tax. Tucker Bill provides that a city with race track be given .33 of 1% of the parimutual wagers instead of charging admission tax.
The City Council is considering collecting taxes on free admissions to the Santa Anita Park race track. It would mean considerably greater income for the City.