Santa Anita moving ahead with plans to build 800 stalls

DEL MAR, Calif. – Santa Anita is proceeding with plans to build 800 stalls on a parking lot adjacent to the racetrack, officials told the California Horse Racing Board on Thursday.

Track executive Scott Daruty told the racing board that Santa Anita is seeking full approval from the city of Arcadia in coming weeks and would like to begin construction this winter on a yearlong project. Santa Anita is seeking to house 800 horses currently based at Los Alamitos.

The new barns would increase stabling capacity at Santa Anita to approximately 2,600.

“At this point, we expect to have approval within the next few months, which will allow us to start construction,” Daruty said. “We’re targeting the end of 2019. It could be 2020.”

Daruty cited a long-term plan to develop the Los Alamitos property as a reason for the construction. “We want to start planning for the future and be sure we have places to keep the horses,” he said.

In June, residents of Cypress, Calif., where Los Alamitos is based, approved a ballot measure to develop part of the racecourse and adjacent property once used as a golf course. In June, track owner Ed Allred said the ballot measure was “estate planning and to provide the city with a plan that would lay out the long-term allowed uses for the property.”

On Thursday, Allred reiterated in a press release that racing will continue in coming years.

“There are no intentions for Los Alamitos to be developed, and this venue will remain a racetrack,” he said. “There could be some development on the land surrounding Los Alamitos Race Course, but this in no way will impact the year-round racing operation.

“My passion is for horse racing to be held at Los Alamitos, and this will always be true. The track will remain open for stabling Thoroughbreds so long as we are needed.”

Los Alamitos expanded its racetrack to a mile and built additional stalls in 2014 to accommodate Thoroughbred racing in Southern California following the closure of Hollywood Park in December 2013. Los Alamitos conducts eight weeks of Thoroughbred racing annually in July, September, and December. The track conducts a year-round night meeting of Quarter Horses and lower-level Thoroughbreds.

Last February, Santa Anita gave the circuit’s other racetracks and horsemen’s organization a two-year notice that it would terminate an arrangement for Los Alamitos to provide stabling.

“This was done at the option of Santa Anita,” Allred said in the statement. “Los Alamitos spent millions of dollars on a rush basis to enlarge the racetrack and provide stabling.”

This winter, Santa Anita is considering a policy that would require trainers to run a minimum number of horses to avoid paying stall rent. Daruty said the issue has not been finalized and that discussions continue with the Thoroughbred Owners of California and California Thoroughbred Trainers associations on details.

“Nothing has been decided,” he said. “We’re leaning toward two starts per stall for the winter meeting.”

The meeting runs from late December to late June.

At the track’s fall meeting, which begins on Sept. 28, The Stronach Group, the parent company of Santa Anita, will launch a pick-five wager connecting races at Gulfstream Park, Laurel, and Santa Anita. The tracks are all owned by The Stronach Group.

The $1 wager will have a 12 percent takeout and will be held on Fridays, track officials said.