“It seems like we say it every year” he began “there are lots of changes going on” at Santa Anita. Of particular note is $20million recently spent for infrastructure improvements.  “They are to enhance the public experience,” he said –  Better audiovisual, opened up mezzanine and Chandelier Room areas and refurbishment of the Eddie Logan clubhouse for high rollers.

Mike has been involved with horse racing, and Santa Anita most of his life. He recalled the days after school football practice when he would sneak into the track (with 30,000 attendees in the week, 50,000 on the weekends) by asking an adult if he could be their child (until they got through the turnstiles).  He has had success as a small time breeder, horse owner, and horse racing radio personality prior to his current position with the track.

With the closure of Hollywood Park, Santa Anita is adding a season from April to June with a 3pm twilight post time.  “There is a shortage of stables and inventory,” Mike said.  He elaborated by saying that fewer horses are produced and fewer stables willing to ship to California where costs are expensive. “We are competing with racinos,” he said.

If you have not heard of racinos, it’s a smaller track where casino gambling funds support bigger horse racing purses.  Owners can race on these once second tier tracks more cost-effectively. “We are an island out here,” Mike said about horse racing in California.

In the Q&A Mike elaborated:

• The Caruso project is over completely.
• Mike felt the horse breeds were more delicate today because they are treated like “fine china” rather than being ridden more.
• An unfortunate fact of life is that stables are challenging to run with high costs and Worker’s Compensation challenges.
• The Asian market has been untapped until now.  A new joint venture is developing a website YUPRacing.com inviting the Asian community to experience horse racing.

Mike’s predictions were cautiously upbeat. He was proud of our facility at Santa Anita, if not THE premier horse racing location in the country. “We would like to see the Breeder’s Cup here, every year,” he said.  And it might happen after a stint at Del Mar.

But he was realistic the competitive world of entertainment, about updating the aging facility, about engaging more demographics and varied uses of the venue to diversify the income stream – lunch trucks, auto events in the parking lots, special events, concerts etc.  Santa Anita continues to be a work in progress… that we will be visiting February 7th for our Day at The Races.