Santa Anita Receiving Barn

As promised, here is a photo of the inside of Santa Anita's beautiful receiving barn. Imagine all the great horses who have gone through this round barn!

An interesting bit of information about this structure... it was used as a shower room during World War II, when Japanese Americans were temporarily detained at Santa Anita before being shipped to more-permanent detention camps in the U.S. Apparently a wooden partition separated the males and females.

Sunny Santa Anita - 24 Days to Breeders Cup!

Another warm and sunny day dawned at Santa Anita. Curlin is here in Barn 27, and I hope to get a glimpse (and some photos) of him soon. Tomorrow morning will be his first time out on the track.

In the meantime, I've been talking to some long-time trainers about the historic Receiving Barn. Mel Stute, who's been at Santa Anita since 1945, had an interesting recollection... Many years ago, the grooms went on strike, and one of the trainers led his horse over from the stables to the receiving barn before a race -- with two guns strapped on! They called him "two guns" after that.

With no racing yesterday or today, I haven't been able to get an inside photo, but hope to post one very soon.

Receiving Barn is Rich in History and Tradition

Santa Anita's receiving barn, also known as the "Round Barn," truly is rich in history and tradition, having been around since the track opened in 1934. It's where all of the racehorses, from maidens to champions, pass through on their way to the races, to receive pre-race testing.

I found an old article from TIME magazine, from December 24, 1934, about the opening day at Santa Anita, which read in part: "At Arcadia, Calif., the newest and most elaborate racetrack in the U.S., Santa Anita Park, will open for a 53-day meet on Christmas Day. In the feature race of the meet, the Santa Anita Handicap, a dozen of the most famed horses in the world, including Equipoise, Twenty Grand, Mate, Cavalcade, Statesman and Head Play, will run for the biggest purse ($100,000 added) offered this year."

The article also mentioned the Receiving Barn: "Before each race, all the horses entered will visit a special circular 'receiving barn,' from which owners and handlers are excluded and in which officials will make sure the animals are not doped." ("Doped?!" Well, remember it was an era just following Prohibition and the crime sprees of gangsters like Al Capone!)

More history, and an inside photo of the Receiving Barn, to come!

Santa Anita Receiving Barn

26 Days to Breeders Cup at Santa Anita!

Sunday morning... It's killing me to miss a morning at C2 (Clockers Corner, Santa Anita Racetrack), but I guess one day off a week will help keep my posts fresh.

With 26 days to go, wouldn't you like to know more about the facility that will host this international event? Watch for my upcoming blogs with the inside scoop and pix of the Receiving Barn (where all the runners will stop on their way to the races), Santa Anita's famous "European style" saddling paddock and walking ring, the beautiful Turf Club, and much more!

Thanks for reading, and keep your comments coming!