Off to the Santa Anita races
Why go to the Santa Anita horse races? When I was growing up in San Diego my parents enjoyed going to the Del Mar races.They often talked about being in the clubhouse and visiting with Bing Crosby, Betty Grable, Harry James, Jimmy Stewart and other stars who also enjoyed horse racing. This was the late ’30s, ’40s and early ’50s. when horse racing was a sport of celebrities. Wasn’t it once called The Sport of Kings?
They also occasionally went to Santa Anita. Santa Anita is the “granddaddy” of horse race tracks in the West. I think my parents even saw Seabiscuit race there. When I saw my resort announcement about a trip to Santa Anita, I decided this was the time to go.
A few Thursdays ago, I boarded a bus and headed to Arcadia, home of the race track. Santa Anita is located against the San Gabriel Mountains and is much bigger than I’d envisioned. Perhaps that’s because I have equated race track sizes with Del Mar or Golden Gate Fields. When we drove into the huge parking lot, the large gabled stands stood out against the mountains, the green roof and white gables dominating the scenery.
As we entered at the Clubhouse walkway, we passed statues of jockeys and colorful flowers. An elevator took us to our site for the day. Spread out before us were race tracks — several of them. During the day the horses raced on the regular oval dirt track, on a sod track, and on two extended tracks coming into the oval track. We were at one end of the stands and I realized it would take time to explore the sights spreading quite a distance. Explore I did after finding out about Santa Anita.
The property first was a ranch started in the late 1800s. From 1909-1912 the rancher had a small race track which burned down in 1912 and wasn’t rebuilt. In 1934 California made ontrack betting legal.
Santa Anita was the first track built in the West, opening Christmas Day 1934. It’s fame spread quickly and it became the place to go for the Hollywood stars. Several owned race horses with the clubhouse filled with celebrities during the race season. Among the horses racing regularly was Seabiscuit whose last race was here in 1940. Maybe you’ve read the book about him and that race.
The paddock area was fascinating, so I spent time watching the horses come out and parade around. In the center is the statute of Seabiscuit. On the outside are statutes of other prominent
“The crowd was average people, mostly men of all ethnic groups who were there not only to bet on Santa Anita races but races across the country. Offtrack betting helps keep the place alive.”
horses and jockeys including Willie Shoemaker. Naturally, there’s a gift shop. At the far end of the stands is a coffee house open early so you can watch track preparation. I noted track preparation is continuous after every race.
Horse racing has changed from those early days. As I roamed around the entire complex, I wondered where I could make my big $2 bet. There were plenty of computers ready to take my money but I found only one section of actual people taking bets. The clubhouse is open to everyone now. In prior days you had to have a ticket to enter. We had special tables for our catered lunch. One other area had tables but you had to go to a counter to buy your lunch. Not like the “old days” when the club house was filled with reserved tables and servers.
Reserved boxes were available in the middle of the stands across from the finish line. Most of the time no one occupied them. I sat in one box to watch several races, then decided to walk around. When I went back I was told I couldn’t sit there without a $10 ticket — but no one else ever came to take a seat.
The crowd was average people, mostly men of all ethnic groups who were there not only to bet on Santa Anita races but races across the country. Offtrack betting helps keep the place alive.
Several tracks in California have shut down — Hollywood Park in Inglewood (the Rams stadium will be there) and Bay Meadows and Tanforan in the Bay Area. Only Golden Gates Fields remains in the Bay Area, with talk of building condos. In Southern California there is Los Alamitos and Del Mar. With the size of Santa Anita will it go at some time?
When I talked to an Arcadia resident, he told me that Arcadia is determined to keep the park because of its historic significance and the fame it has brought to the city.
My day at the Santa Anita races will be one I’ll always remember — a nostagalic time and a place worth seeing.
No, I didn’t win any money!