The largest opening-day crowd in eight years ushered in Santa Anita Park’s 90th year Dec. 26, joining horseplayers around the world in betting on the races with a total all-sources mutuel handle of more than $21.4 million.
The handle was the third-highest in the track’s history for an opening day and an increase of 17.4% over last year, marking the fourth time in the past seven years that the opening-day handle topped $20 million.
The on-track attendance of 41,562 was the largest non-weekend or holiday crowd on opening day since 1990. This was the 11th Thursday opening for Santa Anita, which traditionally opens the day after Christmas…