Santa Anita to conduct Monday racing during winter/spring meet

Santa Anita to conduct Monday racing during winter/spring

meet

Santa Anita Park will operate with a Thursday through Monday regular racing

schedule for its 71st annual winter/spring meet, which begins December 26 and

runs through April 20, 2008. The change from the traditional Wednesday through

Sunday schedule is part of an effort to stimulate on-track business, Santa Anita President Ron Charles

said on Monday.

"While our on-track business has improved significantly on weekends and in

particular on our big days, we feel strongly that we need to do something to

stimulate business on our regular weekdays," Charles said. "We have sought the

opinions of a significant cross-section of our customers, and based upon the

feedback we have received from them and others in the industry, we believe

racing on Mondays during this meet is something well worth trying.

"Additionally, we feel strongly that our product is going to be very well

received around the country on Mondays. We feel that we need to try this, that

to just to continue to operate with the status-quo is unacceptable, given the

fact that on weekdays our on-track business has been slow. We are hopeful that

by tweaking the work week in this way, we can draw more people on-track, while

doing very well out-of-state," Charles added.

Charles also noted that Santa Anita will offer a strong simulcast menu each

Monday, consisting of racing from Gulfstream Park in Florida, Fair Grounds in

New Orleans and Golden Gate Fields in northern California.

Santa Anita will invest heavily in promoting Monday racing, including free

general admission on Mondays throughout the meet. Additionally, on-track

handicapping contests will be offered each Monday.

Santa Anita will also offer its Thoroughbred Club members free box seat

accommodations on Mondays, on a first come, first served basis.

"Again, we feel strongly that we need to be innovative and to try and give

people more reasons than ever to enjoy this magnificent venue," Charles said.

"We are hoping that in combination, these various promotions are going to

stimulate our business by better serving our existing customers and enticing new

and occasional fans to join us more often."

With the exception of opening week, Santa Anita will be dark on Tuesdays and

Wednesdays. First post time on December 26 is noon (PST). Santa Anita will be

dark on December 27, and will reopen for a four-day week from December 28

through December 31. Regular weekday first post time will be at 1:00 p.m. First

post on weekends is slated for noon.