Santa Anita Park Confirmed as Equestrian Venue for Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028

Dressage

FEI

Santa Anita Park has been confirmed as the host of the equestrian events of the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 (LA28).

One week after Galway Downs in Temecula, CA, heard it was dropped as venue candidate, Santa Anita has been officially confirmed of its allocation.

Spectacular Venue

Santa Anita is located in Arcadia, California, in the proximity to the Los Angeles city area, close to Pasadena and has experience hosting equestrian events as it was already the equestrian venue for the 1984 Olympics

“Santa Anita Park will be a spectacular venue for the LA28 Olympic equestrian events,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos said. “The FEI has very fond memories of Santa Anita, which had hosted the equestrian events at the 1984 Olympic Games. The venue is set to offer a breathtaking stage for all the Olympic equestrian competitions and the proximity to LA City will undoubtedly attract many spectators to Santa Anita. We look forward to continuing our cooperation with LA28 to deliver spectacular equestrian events at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.”

Special Legacy

Ulla Hakanson and Flamingo at the 1984 OG

“I would like to thank the FEI on behalf of the IOC for the active engagement in all the discussions regarding the venue,” IOC Sports Director Kit McConnell said. “We have created a strong partnership with the Organising Committee and the city of Los Angeles, which enjoys the full support of the local equestrian community.”

"We have the utmost confidence in the LA28 Organizing Committee, and we anticipate exceptional equestrian sport will take place at this special legacy venue from the 1984 Olympic Games. We are also extremely pleased that the IOC has confirmed the athlete quotas across the disciplines for 2028 and they remain unchanged from 2024,” said Bill Moroney, Chief Executive Officer of US Equestrian.

Historic Venue

Santa Anita features an on-course veterinary clinic and has hosted some of the major Thoroughbred events in the USA including the Breeders Cup. The famous champion thoroughbred racehorse Seabiscuit won his last race at Santa Anita in 1940. The facility also hosts a CSI3* as well as a FEI Jumping World Cup™ Qualifier CSI5*-W, which this year will take place in November.

Santa Anita covers 130Ha (320 acres) and includes a 340m-long (1,100-foot) grandstand that seats 26,000 spectators. The track infield area, which resembles a park with picnic tables and large trees, can accommodate a crowd of 50,000. The Park has 61 barns that can house more than 2,000 horses.

Santa Anita to Be Sold?

In March 1/ST Racing, a subsidiary of the Stronach Group which owns the Santa Anita Race track, threatened to sell or close Santa Anita if the California Horse Racing Board authorizes racing in Northern California this year.

"It’s unclear if it’s a serious threat or just gamesmanship," the L.A. Times wrote. Craig Fravel, executive vice-chairman of 1/ST Racing, wrote in a letter "An analysis of alternative uses for Santa Anita and San Luis Rey will be undertaken in short order [if racing is allocated to the north]. The current financial model and required capital expense make no sense and the consolidation of operations as discussed last year and at the January Board meeting is the only alternative that has been presented.”

The L.A. Times also wrote, "it’s a very real possibility that a clear, easy, huge profit could be achieved by selling the track land to developers. The price might have a B instead of an M before the “illion” if it’s sold. The finances make sense, even if it means cutting loose a part of the family business in a sport that is in serious decline in a state that offers almost no incentives to stick around."

Paralympics

Hilda Gurney (USA) and Keen at the 1984 OG

The venue for the Para Equestrian events will be announced at a later date following the review and approval of the International Paralympic Committee Governing Board.