Santa Anita Park

The annual Dec. 26 start of the Santa Anita season has a natural, anticipatory, turn-the-page vibe to it. But this mark-your-calendar Opening Day mainstay hasn't always been a post-holiday tradition. Although Santa Anita has kicked off its winter/spring meet on the day after Christmas every year since 1977, the track originally opened in 1934 on Christmas Day itself, and did so for the first four years of its existence. "Filmdom entirely forgot its world of make-believe to migrate to the Santa Anita track yesterday for the renewal of horse racing...

Edited Press Release Cody's Wish (Curlin), this year's GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner who shares an endearing bond with Cody Dorman, has been voted the winner of the 2022 Secretariat Vox Populi Award. Created by Secretariat's owner Penny Chenery, the annual award recognizes the horse whose popularity and racing excellence best resounded with the public and gained recognition for Thoroughbred racing. Owned by Godolphin, trained by Bill Mott, and ridden throughout the year by Junior Alvarado, Cody's Wish and his special story have gained affection and admiration that transcend...

Santa Anita Park will offer a pre-sale of tickets the track's Classic Meet opening day Monday, Dec. 26 beginning next Tuesday, Nov. 29 for those that register at www.santaanita.com. Santa Anita will also offer fans its traditional wall calendar free of charge with paid admission on its newly branded Classic Meet opening day, which continues through Apr. 9. Additionally, the Mathis Home Plush Toy Horse will be offered as a way for fans to contribute to the California Retirement Management Account (CARMA). Santa Anita Park Newsletter subscribers can purchase pre-sale...

Santa Anita Park, in conjunction with Golden Gate Fields, will host an online auction this holiday season to benefit the California Retirement Management Account (CARMA),an organization whose mission is to rehabilitate, retrain, and rehome Thoroughbred racehorses who have raced in California. The auction, which will run from 5 p.m. Nov. 25 through 5 p.m. Dec. 9, offers a wide array of items and experiences to suit every age and personal interest including signed memorabilia, signed photos, and a handicapping lesson from handicapping analyst and on-air personality, Anthony Stabile. Other items...

Every week, the TDN publishes a roundup of key official rulings from the primary tracks within the four major racing jurisdictions of California, New York, Florida and Kentucky. Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public (or not) and where. With the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) having gone into effect on July 1, the TDN will also post a roundup of the relevant HISA-related rulings from the same week.   CALIFORNIA Track: Del Mar Date: 08/07/2022 Licensee:  Kent Desormeaux, jockey...

Santa Anita Park's 2022-23 Winter/Spring Stakes Schedule will offer a total of 93 stakes, 10 of them Grade I events, including  Apr. 8 showcasing the GI $750,000 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby, and 58 graded races beginning with the track's traditional opener on Monday, Dec. 26 through closing day, June 18. The track's popular 'Ship & Win' program will again provide significant monetary incentives for out-of-state runners. Opening day will feature a total of six graded stakes, highlighted by three Grade I, $300,000 events: the Runhappy Malibu, the La Brea, and...

So we get another day of sun, after all, out in La La Land. It was not so long ago that a night without end appeared to have descended on Santa Anita. Like Ryan Gosling's character in the film, fighting his quixotic rearguard action on behalf of jazz, we were clinging to the wreckage of a culture renounced by 21st Century society. "I'm letting life hit me till it gets tired," he protests to his sister. "Then I'm going to hit back. It's a classic rope-a-dope." If we're honest, that's...

6th-Santa Anita, $67,500, Msw, 3-27, 3yo/up, 1m, 1:37.99, ft, 7 1/2 lengths. SET SAIL (c, 3, Malibu Moon--Fleet of Gold {SP, $109,892}, by Medaglia d'Oro) was third on debut Feb. 26 in a seven panel maiden over Santa Anita's main track after altering course early and losing second by 1 1/4 lengths. Trying a mile here, the bay Mandella trainee broke on top and never looked back, coasting home much the best by 7 1/2 lengths as the 2-1 second choice over One More Bid (California Chrome). Q B One...

Every week, the TDN publishes a roundup of key official rulings from the primary tracks within the four major racing jurisdictions of California, New York, Florida and Kentucky. Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public (or not) and where. CALIFORNIA Track: Santa Anita Date: 03/17/2022 Licensee: Flavien Prat, jockey Penalty: $500 fine Violation: Excessive use of the whip Explainer: Jockey Flavien Prat is fined $500.00 for violation of California Horse Racing Board rule #1688(b)(8)(d) (Use of Riding Crop--more than six times)...

Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, barred from The Stronach Group (TSG)-owned facilities since June of 2019, has filed a motion for preliminary injunction to be able to enter and race horses under his name at Santa Anita for the upcoming 2021-2022 winter/spring meet--the latest salvo in an ongoing legal feud between the Hall of Fame trainer and various corporate entities under TSG umbrella. According to a filing with the Los Angeles County Superior Court, dated Sept. 26, Hollendorfer requests the preliminary injunction to prohibit the owners of Santa Anita Park from "unlawfully...

The card for the 84th GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby produced all-sources pari-mutuel handle of $24,282,400 Saturday. This was the largest Santa Anita Derby day handle since 2007. In addition, fans returned to the Arcadia oval on a restricted basis, with 8,246 on-track for the 12-race program. It was the first time in over a year that fans were allowed back at Santa Anita since the COVID-19 pandemic began last winter. Rock Your World (Candy Ride {Arg}) saluted in the day's feature event, the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby for...

Going Global (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) made an impressive U.S. debut for trainer Phil D'Amato by taking Sunday's GIII Sweet Life S. at Santa Anita. Formerly trained by Mick Halford in Ireland, the 3-year-old filly was purchased privately this winter in a deal structured by BBA Ireland's Michael Donohoe and Niall Dalton. Gary King caught up with Donohoe on Monday morning to chat about the win. GK: What attracted you to Going Global? MD: Her first run at Limerick really caught my eye and Niall's [Dalton]. We liked her action and...