Santa Anita business mixed on Santa Anita Handicap Day

The ontrack crowd of 23,304 for Saturday’s Santa Anita Handicap was a decline of 3.8 percent over the 2010 figure of 24,201. The ontrack handle of $3,574,438 improved 9 percent over 2010, while statewide and national simulcast handle was down, according to Haines. The track reported an all-sources handle of $14,459,899 for the 11 races, a decline of 9.5 percent compared to last year’s figure of $15,984,888 on an 11-race card.

“Last year, we had a giveaway that might have had some spinners, people going through the turnstiles multiple times,” track president George Haines said. “I’m satisfied with the day. I always hope for more.”

On March 25, Santa Anita will resume a free general admission policy on Fridays, coinciding the resumption of racing for five days a week on March 23, Haines said. The track will offer free box seats, while supplies last on those Fridays.

Racing is scheduled on a Wednesday-through Sunday basis for the final four weeks of the meeting, which ends on April 17.