Wednesday, August 25 2010
Opposition to California’s Bookie Amendment AB 2414
Sacramento, CA – A coalition of racetracks call for the defeat of a bill that has been amended to create a new class of online wagering in California.
AB 2414, authored by Assembly Speaker John Perez (D-Los Angeles), was significantly altered to allow bettors to wager on a horse to lose – a practice that is currently illegal in California and every other state in the union. AB 2414 also legalizes the practice of “exchange wagering” – a system that relies on third parties to assume and pay out on wagers. There have been no committee hearings on the amendment and no chance for public comment on the proposed changes.
Tuesday, July 27 2010
SANTA ANITA ANNOUNCES MAIN TRACK REPAIRS
ARCADIA, Calif. (July, 27, 2010)—Santa Anita Park, which closed this past Sunday for training for the first time in two years, and which will host the Oak Tree at Santa Anita meeting beginning Sept. 29, began repair work on its synthetic main track on Monday and embarked upon significant scheduled maintenance of its stable area as well.
“For the most part, this is regularly scheduled maintenance,” said Santa Anita President George Haines. “Beyond that however, we are working toward mitigating our drainage issues with the main track. The Pro-Ride surface was very safe and it performed beautifully this past meet, except for the fact that we continue to have drainage issues through the (home) stretch and in particular, in the area near the finish line.
Friday, June 11 2010
PIERCE, MILLERICK VOTED INTO HALL OF FAME,
ARCADIA, Calif. (June 10, 2010)—Legendary big-money rider Donald Pierce, Michael “Buster” Millerick, who gained his greatest fame as the long-time conditioner of Hall of Fame gelding Native Diver, and champion colt Harry Bassett, winner of the 1871 Belmont Stakes, were selected for induction to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, it was announced Wednesday by the Hall’s Historic Review Committee.
Born April 13, 1937 in Clebit, Oklahoma, Pierce won four Santa Anita Handicaps and was considered one of America’s top big-money riders during the 1960s, ‘70s and into the early ‘80s. He led all North American jockeys in stakes-won in 1973, winning 32 added money events.
Friday, May 21 2010
HAINES TAKES REINS AS SANTA ANITA PRESIDENT
ARCADIA, Calif. (May 21, 2010)—As was announced Thursday by MI Developments (MID), longtime Santa Anita Park General Manager George Haines has been named interim Santa Anita President and will oversee all of MID’s California racing operations, which also include Golden Gate Fields effective immediately.
Haines has nearly 40 years of work experience at The Great Race Place, as he was first employed at Santa Anita in 1972, in the track’s Parimutuel Department.
Tuesday, April 20 2010
BOURBON BAY COMPLETES RARE MARATHON SWEEP WITH HARD-FOUGHT WIN OVER UNUSUAL SUSPECT
ARCADIA, Calif. (April 18, 2010) – Odds-on favorite Bourbon Bay closed out Santa Anita’s 75th anniversary season Sunday by winning the 71st running of the storied San Juan Capistrano Handicap at 1 ¾ miles on turf to gain a notable place in track history by completing a sweep of Santa Anita’s three graded stakes grass marathons before an on-track crowd of 17,345.
With his 94th win capping a runaway season as the meet’s leading jockey, Rafael Bejarano drove the 4-year-old gelding to a one-half length victory over Unusual Suspect in the Grade II, $150,000 event that is North America’s longest turf stakes race. The final time was 2:44.52.
SANTA ANITA’S 75TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON CLOSES,
ARCADIA, Calif. (April 18, 2010)—Santa Anita’s 75th anniversary meeting ended on a high note Sunday as a crowd of 17,345 attended on-track and witnessed an action-packed day of racing that included the 71st running of the prestigious San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap, which was won by Bourbon Bay ridden by Rafael Bejarno. The San Juan Capistrano was carded as the 10th and final race, resulting in a crescendo-like finish to a meet that endured economic and weather-related challenges.
“It was great to finish-up like we did today,” said Santa Anita President Ron Charles. “The San Juan Capistrano was a great way for us to go out and despite the fact we faced a number of issues over the course of the meet, it went very quickly.”
Sunday, April 18 2010
TUSCAN EVENING NAMED HORSE OF MEET IN MEDIA POLL, Sunday, April 18th, 2010
ARCADIA, Calif. (April 18, 2010) – In one of the closest votes in recent memory, queen of the turf Tuscan Evening outpolled Santa Anita Derby winner Sidney’s Candy and undefeated Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap winner Zenyatta to be named Horse of the Meet in Santa Anita’s annual Media Poll.
Tuscan Evening, a 5-year-old Irish-bred mare owned by William de Burgh and trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, completed a graded stakes “Grand Slam” by winning four of those events at the meet, at distances from about 6 1/2 furlongs on turf to a mile and a quarter on turf. They were the Grade III Monrovia Handicap at about 6 1/2 furlongs on turf Jan. 3; the Grade II Buena Vista Handicap at one mile on turf Feb. 15; the Grade II Santa Ana Handicap at 1 1/8 miles on turf March 21; and the Grade II Santa Barbara Handicap at 1 1/4 miles on turf April 17.
Santa Anita STABLE NOTES, SUNDAY, APRIL 18TH, 2010
SANTA ANITA LOOKS TO THE FUTURE AS 75TH ANNIVERSARY MEET ENDS
Santa Anita’s 75th anniversary winter/spring meet comes to a conclusion today, with reflections on past hardships and expressions of optimism for the future. While there have been bumps in the road, the hope and intent is for a smoother journey ahead.
Five days were lost when the synthetic Pro-Ride main track failed to drain properly in isolated areas, and dwindling horse population at times made for less-than-ideal field sizes. But Thoroughbred heroes Zenyatta, Sidney’s Candy, Tuscan Evening and Bourbon Bay buoyed fan enthusiasm, creating memories of yesteryear on days that they performed their magic.
TUSCAN EVENING CLOSES OUT FOUR-GRADED-STAKES-WIN SEASON WITH SANTA BARBARA VICTORY; MR GRUFF REPEATS
ARCADIA, Calif. (April 17, 2010) – Escalating in distance with each of four graded stakes victories on turf, Tuscan Evening conquered 1 ¼ miles and three outclassed opponents in Saturday’s Grade II, $150,000 Santa Barbara Handicap to emerge as a leading Horse of the Meet candidate as Santa Anita’s 75th anniversary season nears the finish line.
As the 3-10 favorite in the 62nd running of the Santa Barbara for fillies and mares, the 5-year-old Irish-bred mare carried 124 pounds including jockey Rafael Bejarano to a one-length victory over General Consensus while running the distance in 2:00.22.
Santa Anita STABLE NOTES, SATURDAY, APRIL 17TH, 2010
IT’S ALL ABOUT ENTERTAINMENT FOR SANTA ANITA’S ‘MUSIC MAN’
Jay Cohen is Santa Anita’s “Music Man,” only without the scam antics of Professor Harold Hill, the character portrayed by Robert Preston in Meredith Willson’s smash Broadway blockbuster of 1957 and subsequent 1962 hit film.
For Cohen, it’s not about Trouble with a capital T, but strictly about entertaining, something he does with panache.
Friday, April 16 2010
DEVINE ACTRESS SCORES IN SANTA LUCIA AS LONGEST SHOT IN FIELD
ARCADIA, Calif. (April 16, 2010) – She may be no Zenyatta, but Devine Actress did her best to emulate the superstar mare Friday when she ran down pace-setter Dance to My Tune in the final sixteenth of Santa Anita’s 30th running of the $58,300 Santa Lucia Handicap to win by one-half length while clocked in 1:42.47 for 1 1/16 miles.
At 8-1 the longest shot in a field of five, the 5-year-old daughter of Theatrical provided jockey Tyler Baze with his third victory of the afternoon while notching her third win in six starts and her second in as many tries over Santa Anita’s main track.
Santa Anita STABLE NOTES, FRIDAY, APRIL 16TH, 2010
SANTA ANITA CHAMP BEJARANO SEEKS VICTORY IN SUNDAY FINALE
Rafael Bejarano rides prohibitive favorite Bourbon Bay in the final race of the meet Sunday, the Grade II, $150,000 San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap at about 1 3/4 miles on turf. Whether he finishes first or not, the 27-year-old jockey will go out a winner.
He has clinched his third straight Santa Anita riding title. Through Thursday and with three racing days left in the meet, he held an insurmountable 90-70 lead over runner-up Joel Rosario. He is looking forward to winning his third stakes in a row aboard Bourbon Bay, who scored impressive victories in the San Luis Obispo Handicap and the San Luis Rey Handicap for Neil Drysdale in his last two starts, each at a mile and a half on grass.
