This Friday’s program involved Santa Anita Race Track and the upcoming Breeder’s Cup at Santa Anita in November. Santa Anita’s current Director of Publicity was the leadoff speaker. Mike Willman is a Pasadena born racing enthusiast, who has been involved in the racing industry since 1982, having been a par-mutuel clerk, racing official, jockey agent and media personality for many years. In a twist of occupations, he has been a professional baseball umpire, small business owner and a horse owner. He has a degree from Cal State Fullerton and resides in Glendora.
In addition to his duties at Santa Anita, he is very vocal about the beauty and status of Santa Anita Park. He considers it a very special place for entertainment in Southern California. The “Track” was opened in 1934 with the backing of Charles Strub and other investors and pre-dates most professional sports venues in Southern California. This year’s Breeder’s Cup is at Santa Anita and there will be races on November 2 and 3 at the track. The last time the Breeder’s Cup was here, it is estimated to have brought in $60,000,000 in income to Los Angeles County and environs.
We were fortunate to have Mark Verge the Chief Executive Officer of the Los Angeles Turf Club, i.e. Santa Anita. Mr. Verge is very enthusiastic about Santa Anita and a proponent of horse racing. A graduate of UCLA, he resides with his family in Pacific Palisades and is involved in numerous business activities including being a thoroughbred horse owner for more than 20 years.
Dennis O’Neill, one of America’s top bloodstock agents, is originally from Dearborn, Michigan and on moving to Southern California became a thoroughbred horse racing fan. His brother, Doug O’Neill, is one of America’s top trainers, and counts victories in the Santa Anita Derby, Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes with I’ll Have Another in his resume. Dennis actually purchased I’ll Have Another after it was originally purchased for $11,000 for the sum of $35,000. O’Neill sold the horse to millionaire, J. Paul Reddam, who ultimately recommended Mario Gutierrez, a young jockey who never raced in the Kentucky Derby to ride the horse in the Derby. The rest is history as they say, as Gutierrez rode I’ll Have Another to victories in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.
I’ll Have Another had a shot at the “Triple Crown” of racing, but was scratched when it was found the horse had leg problems on the eve of the Belmont. I’ll Have Another did not win the Triple Crown, but has cemented himself as one of the great horses in history. As of 2012, I’ll Have Another earned $2,693,600 in his racing career He became the third horse, after Bold Venture in 1936 and Burgoo King in 1932, to be scratched from the Belmont Stakes after having won the first two legs of the Triple Crown.] On June 23, 2012, it was announced that I’ll Have Another had been sold with the intent that he will be exported to stand at stud at the Big Red Farm, located in Hokkaido, Japan, for the 2013 breeding season. J. Paul Reddam revealed on the “Hangin’ with Haskin” blog on bloodhorse.com that I’ll Have Another suffered a “tendon tear” the day before the Belmont Stakes. He also stated that Big Red Farm paid $10 million for I’ll Have Another after he received only two offers. Reddam said he thinks I’ll Have Another stands a better chance of success at stud in Japan, where he will receive higher-quality books of mares than he would have attracted in the U.S. Reddam added that he would like to someday reacquire I’ll Have Another if possible.
O’Neill and Willman reminisced about the Kentucky Derby and Santa Anita’s first race announcer, Joe Hernandez. Welcome back to the Breeder’s Cup at Santa Anita, this year and next.