For those lucky enough to live in or visit sunny California, there’s plenty to see and do. There is an endless array of options for keeping yourself entertained, from long hikes through the beautiful Cali landscape to bars, pubs, and clubs to suit every taste.
One thing that’s especially big in the local area is horseracing, and the region has some incredible venues for lovers of the sport to try out, from the famous Santa Anita Park to secret gems like Golden Gate Fields.
We take a look at a few of the best tracks to visit for those with an eye to the action.
Santa Anita Park
As tracks go, Santa Anita Park is known all around the world. A dream destination for many racing enthusiasts, it’s home to the prestigious Santa Anita Derby and the Santa Anita Handicap. Having played host to the Breeder’s Cup World Championships an incredible seven times, it has a calendar filled full of exciting on-track action.
Santa Anita’s events are televised worldwide, and it’s not only local bettors who gamble on the action that takes place on track. So too do a multitude of TV and internet spectators, with millions tuning in to the biggest races of the year.
The latter, in particular, are ensuring that the sport and the Park are enjoying a record level of interest, with the US online gambling market set to grow 33 percent by 2024 and venues like Santa Anita at the forefront of the action. There’s some interesting information on this phenomenon in the article linked to above, allowing you to find out from which states you can place a bet on the action.
Los Alamitos Racecourse
While it’s not famed for its Thoroughbred racing calendar, Los Alamitos Racecourse does have plenty of homegrown action thanks to its Quarter Horse events. Though the latter haven’t gained much momentum outside of the US, they’re still incredibly fun to watch, and most of us here in America have grown up with them.
While these races come with a real degree of nostalgia, this doesn’t take away from the incredible athleticism of these equine athletes or the seriousness and size of the prize pots, with an astonishing $1 million winner’s purse up for grabs in The Champion of Champions event.
Del Mar Racetrack
While Del Mar Racetrack might not have quite the same pull as Santa Anita, it is superior in one regard: its phenomenal beauty. The perfect place for a relaxed race day, Del Mar also hosts plenty of big events, including some important prep contests for the Breeders’ Cup.
While its paradisiacal setting might fool you into believing that no serious action takes place here, this couldn’t be further from the truth, and you’ll see some truly incredible feats of equine athleticism. There really is nowhere we’d rather be on a sunny day in Cali than cheering the horses on trackside at Del Mar.
Golden Gate Fields
Last but not least, visitors and locals alike should also check out Golden Gate Fields. One of the few tracks in the world to boast a tapeta surface, this venue has some clever innovations that help to remove speed biases entirely.
This makes the on-track action phenomenal to watch, and certainly, Golden Gate Fields has seen some seriously exciting racing in its time. This includes the first-ever victory for legendary jockey Bill Shoemaker, who raced to the winner’s post on Shafter V on April 20th, 1949. There’s still a plaque to commemorate the feat in the venue’s infield.
When it comes to enjoying some top-tier racing, California has numerous jewels in its dazzling crown. These four are the best of them, but racing enthusiasts who visit will find themselves spoilt for choice, with many more also available to choose from.
Which Cali track would you most like to visit?
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