Santa Anita Park

**Santa Anita Park** is a Thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, United States. It offers some of the prominent horse racing events in the United States during early fall, winter and in spring. The track is home to numerous prestigious races including both the Santa Anita Derby and the Santa Anita Handicap as well as hosting the Breeders' Cup in 1986, 1993, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2019. Since 2011, The Stronach Group are the current owners.

### Horse fatalities of 2019

In early March 2019, all races were cancelled following the 21st fatality of the winter season; racing resumed late in the month. Races were postponed so that the dirt surface could be studied. Seven of the 21 deaths occurred during races on the dirt oval with nine happening during training on dirt and the others occurring on the turf track.

Thirty-seven horses died at the facility in 2019, causing the above noted suspension of races, and resulting in the California Racing Commission considering rule changes. Following the death of the 30th horse in late June, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, who had trained four of the horses that died, was permanently banned by the Stronach Group from all of its facilities.

## Course attributes

thumbSanta Anita has a one-mile (1,609 m) natural dirt main track which rings a turf course measuring 0.9 mile, or 1,584 yards (1,448 m). In addition, it has an unusual hillside turf course which crosses the dirt and is used mainly to run turf races at a distance of "about" 6½ furlongs (exact distance is 1,408.5 yards (1,287.9 m)). This type of track is one of the few of its kind in America.

To comply with a State of California mandate, Santa Anita replaced its dirt racing surface with a new synthetic surface called Cushion Track, a mixture of silica sand, synthetic fibers, elastic fiber, granulated rubber and a wax coating. The new Cushion Track opened for training on Sept 4, 2007 and hosted its first live race on Sept 26, 2007. The track lost 11 racing dates in 2008 due to a drainage problem with the new material, but intensive maintenance and the addition of a liquid binder greatly improved the artificial surface. Santa Anita replaced the artificial surface with a return to an all natural dirt surface in December 2010.

Santa Anita occupies 320 acres (1.3 km2). It has a 1,100-foot (340 m)-long grandstand, which is a historic landmark that seats 26,000 guests. The grandstand facade is rendered in an Art Deco style and is largely the original from the 1930s. The track infield area, which resembles a park with picnic tables and large trees, can accommodate 50,000 or more guests. The Park also contains 61 barns, which house more than 2,000 horses, and an equine hospital.

## Racing

Major races hosted by Santa Anita Park are listed below.

**Grade I stakes:** (listed by inaugural running)

* **Santa Anita Derby** (1935)
* **Santa Anita Handicap** (1935)
* **Santa Anita Oaks** (1935)
* Santa Margarita Stakes (1935)
* Gold Cup at Santa Anita Stakes (1938, formerly known as the Hollywood Gold Cup)
* Gamely Stakes (1939)
* Beholder Mile Stakes (1940, formerly known as the Vanity)
* Malibu Stakes (1952)
* Triple Bend Stakes (1952)
* Frank E. Kilroe Mile Handicap (1960)
* Chandelier Stakes (1969, formerly known as the Oak Leaf Stakes)
* FrontRunner Stakes (1970, formerly known as the Norfolk Stakes)
* La Brea Stakes (1974)
* Rodeo Drive Stakes (1977, formerly known as the Yellow Ribbon)
* Awesome Again Stakes (1982, formerly known as the Goodwood Stakes)
* Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes (1985, formerly known as the Ancient Title Stakes)
* Shoemaker Mile Stakes (1990)
* Zenyatta Stakes (1993, formerly known as the Lady's Secret)
* American Oaks (2002)

**Grade II stakes** include:

* Arcadia Handicap
* Buena Vista Handicap
* City of Hope Stakes (formerly known as the Arroyo Seco Mile Stakes)
* Californian Stakes
* Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap
* El Encino Stakes
* Goldikova Stakes (formerly known as the Las Palmas Handicap)
* Honeymoon Handicap
* John Henry Turf Championship Stakes (formerly Clement L. Hirsch Turf Championship Stakes) (1969)
* Kona Gold Stakes
* La Canada Stakes
* Las Virgenes Stakes
* Mathis Brothers Mile (formerly known as the Sir Beaufort Stakes)
* Monrovia Handicap
* Palos Verdes Handicap
* Potrero Grande Handicap
* Robert J. Frankel Memorial Handicap (formerly San Gorgonio Handicap)
* Royal Heroine Mile Stakes
* San Antonio Handicap
* San Carlos Handicap
* San Felipe Stakes
* San Fernando Stakes
* San Luis Obispo Handicap
* San Luis Rey Handicap
* San Marcos Stakes
* San Pasqual Handicap
* San Rafael Stakes
* Santa Ana Handicap
* Santa Catalina Stakes
* Santa Maria Handicap
* Santa Monica Handicap
* Santa Ynez Stakes
* San Vicente Stakes
* Strub Stakes
* Summertime Oaks
* Twilight Derby

**Grade III stakes** include:

* Adoration Stakes
* Affirmed Handicap (1979)
* American Handicap (1938)
* Autumn Miss Stakes
* Baldwin Stakes
* Bayakoa Handicap
* Carleton F. Burke Handicap
* Daytona Handicap
* Eddie D Stakes (previously known as the Morvich Handicap)
* El Conejo Handicap
* La Habra Stakes
* L.A. Woman Stakes
* Los Angeles Handicap (1938)
* Las Flores Handicap
* Last Tycoon Stakes
* Megahertz Stakes
* Midnight Lute Stakes
* Providencia Stakes
* Robert B. Lewis Stakes\*
* Robert J Frankel Stakes
* San Gabriel Handicap
* San Juan Capistrano Handicap
* San Simeon Handicap
* Santa Barbara Handicap
* Santa Ysabel Stakes
* Senorita Stakes
* Sham Stakes
* Tokyo City Cup
* Tuzla Handicap
* Wilshire Stakes

**Ungraded stakes** include:

* Blue Norther Stakes
* California Cup Derby
* California Cup Oaks
* Desert Stormer Handicap
* Eddie Logan Stakes
* Landaluce Stakes
* Las Cienegas Handicap
* Santa Paula Stakes
* Senorita Stakes
* Speakeasy Stakes
* Surfer Girl Stakes
* Thunder Road Handicap
* Tiznow Stakes
* Zuma Beach Stakes

### The Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita

In 2019, Santa Anita will host the Breeders' Cup for a record 10th time. Highlights of the previous events include:

* 1986 - Lady's Secret wins the Distaff on her way to becoming Horse of the Year
* 1993 - Arcangues wins the Classic in the biggest upset in the race's history
* 2003 - Trainer Richard Mandella wins a record four races including the Classic
* 2008 - Overseas based runners win five races including the Classic
* 2009 - Zenyatta becomes the first (and to date only) mare to win the Classic
* 2012 - Wise Dan wins the Mile on his way to a Horse of the Year title
* 2013 - Wise Dan goes back-to-back
* 2014 - Bayern upsets California Chrome and Shared Belief in the Classic
* 2016 - Beholder wins the Distaff in a thrilling stretch battle over the previously undefeated Songbird.
* 2016 - Arrogate wins the Classic in a thriller over the heavy favorite California Chrome.

## Event Venue

Santa Anita Park is also an event venue, most notably for popular food festival 626 Night Market. Since 2013, the event draws up to 100,000 attendees per 3-day weekend, four times a year during the summer. More than 250 vendors sell food, merchandise, crafts and art. There is also a stage with live music, an Art Walk, cosplay contest and b-boy dance competitions.