how Santa Anita has fallen...

[ultracapper]

If I recall correctly, Longacres was about 160, maybe 170 acres, right at one of the most prominent freeway interchanges in the state. I could be wrong, but I believe that acreage estimate to be pretty close. It sold in 1992 for $94,500,000. Nobody could blame the Gotsteins/Alhadeffs for taking Boeing's money. It was just too attractive an offer for a property that was supporting what was spiraling into a money drain to its owners.

I don't know the lay of the land, but isn't Santa Anita a bit off the beaten track? I know it's not out in hicksville, but it's not Inglewood. I understand any real estate within 100 miles of DT LA is going to sell for top dollar, but would selling that real estate be such a slam dunk? I have no idea where Los Alamitos is.

SoCal must improve its racing. And a dirty little secret is that the cheapening of the product is being led by Stronach. There was a comment earlier that maiden winners not long ago had to go directly to open claimers, and that is true. However, it was SA that introduced, first, the $25K claimers with the N2L condition. Hollywood followed with a $16-$14K N2L, which SA then added a $12.5K N2L, which by writing it for $12.5K instead of $16K, opened the door to the $16K N3L. They have been the front runner in the cheapening of conditions at every step. Even after they introduced the $8K claimer for older horses, it was a couple years before DMR went below $10K. I loathe the day DMR cards a $6,250 claimer. Also, with "jail" provisions being relaxed almost everywhere, new claiming conditions can be written without concern for the 20% increments. Tradition was broken, again by SA, when they adjusted the maiden scale from 25-32-40-50 to 20-30-40-50 claiming prices.

I guess this could be blamed on the shortage of horses SA feels during their winter meet, but regardless of the reasons, this bleeding must be staunched, quickly and effectively.

[elhelmete]

Originally Posted by ultracapper

If I recall correctly, Longacres was about 160, maybe 170 acres, right at one of the most prominent freeway interchanges in the state. I could be wrong, but I believe that acreage estimate to be pretty close. It sold in 1992 for $94,500,000. Nobody could blame the Gotsteins/Alhadeffs for taking Boeing's money. It was just too attractive an offer for a property that was supporting what was spiraling into a money drain to its owners.

I don't know the lay of the land, but isn't Santa Anita a bit off the beaten track? I know it's not out in hicksville, but it's not Inglewood. I understand any real estate within 100 miles of DT LA is going to sell for top dollar, but would selling that real estate be such a slam dunk? I have no idea where Los Alamitos is.

SoCal must improve its racing. And a dirty little secret is that the cheapening of the product is being led by Stronach. There was a comment earlier that maiden winners not long ago had to go directly to open claimers, and that is true. However, it was SA that introduced, first, the $25K claimers with the N2L condition. Hollywood followed with a $16-$14K N2L, which SA then added a $12.5K N2L, which by writing it for $12.5K instead of $16K, opened the door to the $16K N3L. They have been the front runner in the cheapening of conditions at every step. Even after they introduced the $8K claimer for older horses, it was a couple years before DMR went below $10K. I loathe the day DMR cards a $6,250 claimer. Also, with "jail" provisions being relaxed almost everywhere, new claiming conditions can be written without concern for the 20% increments. Tradition was broken, again by SA, when they adjusted the maiden scale from 25-32-40-50 to 20-30-40-50 claiming prices.

I guess this could be blamed on the shortage of horses SA feels during their winter meet, but regardless of the reasons, this bleeding must be staunched, quickly and effectively.

Santa Anita/Arcadia is primo real estate. Not that I think it will happen, but just saying.

As for the rest...well...you can't write conditions for horses that aren't on the grounds. And foal crops overall just don't get better overnight.

Do I wish California racing had gotten slots? To be totally honest, I'm not sure. NY racing is overall the best we have right now, but sometimes I think the casino $$ they're getting will only serve to increase the height from which they'll fall when the Albany Sleazeball Express makes its final run on that pile of cash.

[Inner Dirt]

Originally Posted by ultracapper

I don't know the lay of the land, but isn't Santa Anita a bit off the beaten track? I know it's not out in hicksville, but it's not Inglewood. I understand any real estate within 100 miles of DT LA is going to sell for top dollar, but would selling that real estate be such a slam dunk? I have no idea where Los Alamitos is.

Santa Anita is in Arcadia next to upscale residential areas and next to a shopping mall, it is next to the town of Pasadena, home of the Rose Bowl. It is very close to major freeways. I would not call it off the beaten track. The population density is a little less in that area than Hollywood Park it is also situated in a low crime area, not a high one like Hollywood Park. I would think the land is worth $1 mil an acre or more.

Los Alamitos when I was last there 10 years ago was next to a golf course, down the road from a hospital and industrial complexes in North Orange County, maybe not Santa Anita land value, but I would venture it is close.

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by Inner Dirt

Santa Anita is in Arcadia next to upscale residential areas and next to a shopping mall, it is next to the town of Pasadena, home of the Rose Bowl. It is very close to major freeways. I would not call it off the beaten track. The population density is a little less in that area than Hollywood Park it is also situated in a low crime area, not a high one like Hollywood Park. I would think the land is worth $1 mil an acre or more.

Los Alamitos when I was last there 10 years ago was next to a golf course, down the road from a hospital and industrial complexes in North Orange County, maybe not Santa Anita land value, but I would venture it is close.

One thing to remember is that Arcadia is very much a bedroom community, and there's already a big shopping mall next door to Santa Anita. In contrast, Inglewood is a transitional working class community.

So Inglewood had a very different view with respect to developing the racetrack into a commercial development than Arcadia would have. Arcadia is very happy to have a racetrack there and not something else that might change the character of the community.

As for Los Al, the key to understand that situation is that the thoroughbred racing is basically superfluous-- it is the Mecca and Medina of quarter horse racing.

I don't think either SA or Los Al will close at any time in the near future, although I would bet against Los Al having daytime thoroughbred cards within a few years.

[ultracapper]

How successful does anybody feel DMR's "Ship and Win" has been? I really don't have an educated opinion on it one way or another, though it seems to be a feasible idea.

[Gentz]

Originally Posted by ultracapper

Longacres was shocking, Bay Meadows unbelievable, Hollywood Park apocalyptic. The fact that a track like Hollywood Park, with all its history and whatnot, closing with what seemed like nary a whimper from the general population nor the state government, is indicative of the health of this industry. Say what you will about the racing there the last 10 years of its existence, Hollywood Park was a horse racing standard barer. You can not discuss the history of the American horse racing experience, post-depression era, and not have Hollywood Park front and center.

Well said!

[SuperPickle]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

One thing to remember is that Arcadia is very much a bedroom community, and there's already a big shopping mall next door to Santa Anita. In contrast, Inglewood is a transitional working class community.

So Inglewood had a very different view with respect to developing the racetrack into a commercial development than Arcadia would have. Arcadia is very happy to have a racetrack there and not something else that might change the character of the community.

As for Los Al, the key to understand that situation is that the thoroughbred racing is basically superfluous-- it is the Mecca and Medina of quarter horse racing.

I don't think either SA or Los Al will close at any time in the near future, although I would bet against Los Al having daytime thoroughbred cards within a few years.

Los Al is dead once Doc Allred dies. Whether its tomorrow or a decade. Los Al is dead.

What happens when Frank dies is anyones guess. Golden Gate is certainly dead. The real estate is simply worth too much.

You're looking at it from the wrong angle. Your looking at it from the citizens perspective. The problem is this. Someone has to want to buy it and run it as a racetrack. If Frank is gone who buys it to use it as a racetrack? Simply put there's no one buying tracks has Magna gone away. I doubt both CDI and Penn National would have any interest in buying a track with no shot at a casino. Beyond that the list is pretty small.

So there in lies the problem. If no one wants to buy to run as a racetrack or the people who want to run it as a racetrack can't bid as much as developers than it gets scary.

But I'll put it this way. Anyone saying the track is safe because the neighbors will fight development is simply lying to themselves.

[Valuist]

Originally Posted by ultracapper

Longacres was shocking, Bay Meadows unbelievable, Hollywood Park apocalyptic. The fact that a track like Hollywood Park, with all its history and whatnot, closing with what seemed like nary a whimper from the general population nor the state government, is indicative of the health of this industry. Say what you will about the racing there the last 10 years of its existence, Hollywood Park was a horse racing standard barer. You can not discuss the history of the American horse racing experience, post-depression era, and not have Hollywood Park front and center.

Hollywood wasn't sold to put in condos. It was sold to Kronke, so he could move the Rams there. At the time, he maybe didn't say it was for the Rams, but have to believe he knew from day 1 that would be the plan.

[airford1]

Originally Posted by Valuist

Hollywood wasn't sold to put in condos. It was sold to Kronke, so he could move the Rams there. At the time, he maybe didn't say it was for the Rams, but have to believe he knew from day 1 that would be the plan.

Hollywood was run into the ground when Churchill Downs owned it and then it was owned by Bay Meadows real estate holding Co and they got stuck with it when the property bubble started to burst.Why would an investment group want a race track that can handle 80,000 people and only draws 4,ooo and most of them are getting in FREE. Barrett's just had a Auction and the biggest customer named "BUY BACK" not sold. The average age of the patrons at Santa Anita has to be 100yo. Put a Fork in it. California and Gov. Brown won't do anything to save it. Too bad.

[airford1]

Inglewood is Crackville USA, you don't want to be there at night and NOBODY is going to buy a condo there, it would have to be section 8 housing.

Arcadia ( Santa Anita) is million dollar and up homes. High Class along with the surrounding towns. Nothing like the Getto Inglewood is. A nice home in Inglewood is a shopping cart with a tarp over it.

[Inner Dirt]

Originally Posted by airford1

Inglewood is Crackville USA, you don't want to be there at night and NOBODY is going to buy a condo there, it would have to be section 8 housing.

Arcadia ( Santa Anita) is million dollar and up homes. High Class along with the surrounding towns. Nothing like the Getto Inglewood is. A nice home in Inglewood is a shopping cart with a tarp over it.

Been to Hollywood Park many times from 1979 - 1987, once the OTBs went in I never went back even though I still went to Delmar, Santa Anita and Fairplex in person. We called it Inglewatts as the Watts area of Los Angeles was only about a half dozen miles away. For those unaware it is the real Watts home of the riots.

[dilanesp]

My car broke down right in front of Hollywood Park on a Friday night after the races. It was midnight. The locals were nothing but helpful.

I also, on a number of occasions, carried fairly large amounts of money to my car from the poker room there. Nothing ever happened.

Don't equate "black" with "dangerous". Inglewood is working and middle class. It is not Watts. It is nothing like Watts.

[Inner Dirt]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

My car broke down right in front of Hollywood Park on a Friday night after the races. It was midnight. The locals were nothing but helpful.

I also, on a number of occasions, carried fairly large amounts of money to my car from the poker room there. Nothing ever happened.

Don't equate "black" with "dangerous". Inglewood is working and middle class. It is not Watts. It is nothing like Watts.

That was the assumption you just made. There are a lot of high crime areas around that track that is a fact. Are you naive enough to believe people from Watts don't venture a couple miles to commit crimes? I was robbed leaving the track in 1980 so it wasn't safe for me. I assume someone saw me go in the large transaction window section then leave and followed me.

[Spalding No!]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

My car broke down right in front of Hollywood Park on a Friday night after the races. It was midnight. The locals were nothing but helpful.

I also, on a number of occasions, carried fairly large amounts of money to my car from the poker room there. Nothing ever happened.

Don't equate "black" with "dangerous". Inglewood is working and middle class. It is not Watts. It is nothing like Watts.

http://articles.latimes.com/1991-06-...hollywood-park

[Inner Dirt]

Originally Posted by Spalding No!

http://articles.latimes.com/1991-06-...hollywood-park

That didn't get me robbed I don't make a sound in public. If I am at the track people can't tell if I am winning or losing. Of course I am loud and obnoxious if I am playing from home.