Santa Anita Park, Athletics track in Arcadia, United States
Santa Anita Park is a horse racing venue in Arcadia, California, featuring a one-mile natural dirt main track and a hillside turf course. The facility includes modern grandstands, stabling areas, and dining spaces that spread out at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains.
The facility opened on December 25, 1934, after California legalized parimutuel wagering, and was designed by Gordon Kaufmann in Art Deco style. Between 1942 and 1945, the site served as an assembly center for over 18,000 Japanese Americans and later as an Army Ordnance base.
The name recalls the nearby Rancho Santa Anita from the Mexican era, which once covered much of what is now the San Gabriel Valley. Visitors today still see architectural details that shape the classic California racetrack feel, while well-dressed crowds gather in the stands especially during major races.
The venue opens during the racing season from early fall through spring and offers several dining and beverage areas at different price levels. Visitors should expect larger crowds on race days and can reach the facility by both car and public transit.
The grounds served as an assembly center for over 18,000 Japanese Americans during World War II before being repurposed as a military base. Several film shoots over the decades, including scenes with the Marx Brothers, introduced the grandstands and stabling areas to audiences outside the racing world.
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