Santa Anita wins big with Belmont

D-Day was Green Day for Santa Anita Park on Saturday. California Chrome may have lost its bid to win a Triple Crown with a loss at Belmont Park on the 70th Anniversary of D-Day in Normandy, but Santa Anita enjoyed a day of multiple records during its first day being open for horse racing while the Belmont Stakes was running. In fact, this spring has been the first time Santa Anita has been a live racing partner for any of the three legs of the Triple Crown, starting with the Kentucky Derby and including the Preakness.

Santa Anita Park on June 7, 2014

As a result, the track enjoyed the following records Saturday, June 7:

1. On-track attendance of 31,208 was up from last year’s 6,338, an increase of 392 percent.

2. On-track handle of $5,270,850 was up over last year’s $1,928,673, an increase of 173 percent over last year.

3. Total handle of $21,289,475 was up significantly over last year’s $14,448,470, an increase of 47 percent.

All these figures also exceeded those from Hollywood Park last year. Hollywood Park closed for live racing on Dec. 22 and Santa Anita picked up many of their racing dates, and thus the combination of many of the attendees who attended both Hollywood Park and Santa Anita.

“This was one of our biggest days of the year,” said Nate Newby, Santa Anita Vice President of Marketing. “Our on-track handle was very gratifying and there was a tremendous atmosphere throughout the facility. We want to thank all of our fans, horseman and employees for contributing to one of the most successful Belmont Stakes days in Southern California racing history and we’re looking forward to many more great Triple Crown moments in the future.”

Adding to the excitement here in Arcadia, longtime fan Eddie Espinoza, 72, of Whittier, stood in the Santa Anita Winner’s Circle as the Belmont Stakes was being run with a chance to win $1 million if California Chrome had won, courtesy of Santa Anita’s inaugural Santa Anita Derby Millionaire Contest. In a stark contrast to the reaction of the owner of California Chrome, who immediately called owners of the horses that beat his horse cowards for resting their horses instead of competing in the first two races, Espinoza had a much classier reaction.

“It just wasn’t meant to be,” he said. “We’ve had a great run and I still love California Chrome. I want to thank Art Sherman, Victor Espinoza, the owners and Santa Anita for this opportunity. We’ve been blessed.”

Santa Anita’s 38-day Spring Meeting runs through June 29.

— By Scott Hettrick