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Oak Tree at Santa Anita Opens
The starting gate at last year's Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita. Benoit Photography/Courtesy BZA PR
The starting gate at last year's Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita. Benoit Photography/Courtesy BZA PR
The opening day for the Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita kicks off Wednesday leading up to the second consecutive Breeders' Cup on November 6 and 7.
The park opens at 5 am giving a glimpse to everyone what goes on behind the scenes to get the horses ready for racing. At 10 am a breakfast draw for Saturday's California Cup XX.
The first live racing post is at 1 pm and will include the Grade III $100,000 Morvich Handicap. The race is 6 1/2 furlongs and raced on the hillside turf course.
Among the storylines this next month is the arrival of Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird who is expected to run on October 10 in the Grade I Goodwood Stakes. By winning the stakes would automatically qualify Mine That Bird a spot in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic on November 7.
Also expected to compete on October 10 is the mare Zenyatta the winner of last year's $2 million Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic. She will be running the Grade I Lady's Secret Stakes, and should she win she is expected to compete with the boys in the Breeders' Cup Classic. Zenyatta is a five-year old mare and has won all 12 of her career starts.
Tickets are $5 for general admission, $10 for the clubhouse and $20 for the turf club. Every Friday general admission is free complete with $1 hot dogs, beer, soda and coffee. This excludes the Breeders' Cup weekend.
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