About Santa Anita Park Racetrack

Santa Anita Park covers 320 acres, includes stable accommodations for 1,800 thoroughbreds, and features a 1-mile main track, a seven-furlong turf course and a six-furlong training track.

Opened in 1934 and designed by Gordon Kaufmann, architect of the Hoover Dam, Santa Anita is an eclectic art-deco masterpiece that blends Streamline Modern with American Colonial, Spanish Revival and even New Orleans styles. It features lush manicured green lawns, meticulously tended colorful gardens and historically significant architecture, all nestled against the backdrop of the San Gabriel Mountains.

Santa Anita has a fascinating history. Home of the 1984 Olympics equestrian competitions, the track has served as the site of countless prestigious races and it has witnessed dozens of racing legends. Movie buffs will also recognize Santa Anita in the classic Shirley Temple film The Story of Seabiscuit. The track suffered a brief dark period during World War II when it became an assembly center, providing temporary housing for 20,000 Japanese Americans awaiting relocation to internment camps.

Santa Anita offers an exciting day for racing fans and tourists alike. The track sponsors numerous special events during its season, including wine and beer tastings, and twilight racing. It also offers fabulous dining options, including the prestigious clubhouse, in addition to the Frontrunner Restaurant. Overlooking the finish line, The Frontrunner Restaurant is a glass-enclosed facility with tiered seating and a flawless track view for 525 people.

Early in 2007, Santa Anita management selected a synthetic Cushion Track racing surface, which has drawn rave reviews at Hollywood Park, to replace the former one-mile dirt track. Cushion Track is a mixture of silica sand, synthetic fibers, elastic fiber, granulated rubber and a wax coating. The new Cushion Track opened for training on September 4, 2007, just in time for the opening of the 39th Oak Tree Racing meet on September 26th.