Chris Merz

A pair of juvenile stakes scheduled for June 20 will feature purses of $100,000 each, up from the initial amount of $75,000. The Fasig-Tipton Debutante and Fasig-Tipton Futurity will be contested at five furlongs on Santa Anita's main track and serve as a prelude to Fasig-Tipton's 2-year-old in Training Sale at Santa Anita June 23. The sale's under-tack preview will be held June 21. "We boosted the purses on both races to $100,000 because we want to continue to provide tangible incentives for those owners and horsemen that are investing...

Santa Anita Park and the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club have joined forces to expand upon Del Mar's "Ship & Win" program as out-of-state horses, who make their first California-based starts in May and June at Santa Anita, will still be eligible for Del Mar's purse incentives, beginning with their Summer Meet opener July 16. Effective May 1, out-of-state horses can start up to twice at Santa Anita through closing day of the current 2021 Winter/Spring Meet June 20 and still be eligible for Del Mar's Ship & Win program bonuses....

Officials at Santa Anita have announced that Nate Newby has been promoted to the position of general manager, while Chris Merz will add racing secretary to his current role of director of racing. Newby has most recently served Santa Anita as its senior vice president and general manager and comes as Aidan Butler transitions to his new position as chief operating officer of 1/ST Racing and president of 1/ST Content in Florida. Butler previously headed California operations for Santa Anita's parent company The Stronach Group. Newby, who has been at...

In an effort to attract out-of-state horses to run at its winter/spring meet, officials at Santa Anita have announced the introduction of the 'Sunshine Bonus.' The bonus offers $3,000 of guaranteed money paid to the owners of eligible horses making their first starts at Santa Anita, excluding stakes races and debuting horses. "Along with the 10% raise in our average daily purse distribution--which now totals  $533,000--we're hopeful this new Sunshine Bonus program will help to attract horses that have not run in California over the past 12 months," said Chris...

Longtime Santa Anita executives Nate Newby and Amy Zimmerman have been promoted. Newby is now the Senior Vice President and Assistant General Manager and Zimmerman is Senior Vice President and Executive Producer. Also, Chris Merz, Maryland Jockey Club's Racing Secretary, has returned to Santa Anita as Director of Racing, assisting Steve Lym, Vice President - Racing. "As I look to continuously strengthen Santa Anita with strong leadership and a dedicated team behind me, I am confident that Nate and Amy, with their vast experience and commitment to Santa Anita and...