Santa Anita offering free infield admission for spring-summer meet

ARCADIA, Calif. – Santa Anita is offering free admission to the infield on weekends during the track’s spring-summer meeting, which runs from April 25 to June 29.

Santa Anita has absorbed much of the spring and early-summer racing dates previously held by Hollywood Park, which closed last December. This will be the first time that Santa Anita has conducted racing in May and June.

[DRF Live: Get live reports and handicapping insights from DRF writers and handicappers this Sunday]

The track’s current winter-spring meeting began Dec. 26 and runs through next Sunday, April 20. Racing has been conducted most Thursdays through Sundays, but next week Santa Anita is racing only Saturday and Sunday. There will be no live racing from April 20 to the start of the spring-summer meet Friday, April 25.

The track’s massive infield includes wagering and food services and a children’s playground. Concerts are sometimes held on the west side of the infield. Infield customers will be permitted to bring beach chairs and picnic coolers but cannot bring alcoholic beverages, according to a statement from the track.

For the spring-summer meeting, Santa Anita will offer free parking for infield customers, through Gate 6 on Colorado Place. Infield customers who seek access to the main grandstand must pay a $5 admission fee.

The free admission to the infield and limited free parking is designed to lure casual racegoers, particularly families.