Santa Anita Park’s Traditional Opening Day Begins Friday, Dec. 26

By Jasmine Torrez —-

SANTA ANITA PARK’S TRADITIONAL OPENING DAY BEGINS FRIDAY, DEC. 26 FEATURING GRADE I RACING, WALL CALENDAR GIVEAWAY, CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL AND MUCH MORE

ARCADIA, CA (Dec. 19, 2025) – A tradition dating back 91 years, Santa Anita Park’s 2025-2026 racing season begins on Friday, Dec. 26. To celebrate the iconic racetrack will host an array of events and activities in addition to world-class Thoroughbred racing.
Opening Day at The Great Race Place will feature the nation’s leading three-year-olds competing for Grade I honors. With six graded stakes on the card highlighted by the Grade I, Malibu Stakes, fans can look forward to increased field sizes and bolstering parimutuel pools for Opening Day. Track officials estimate the Early Pick 5 pool to reach $1,000,000 and the Late Pick 5 pool to reach $1,500,000.
The 50th edition of the 2026 Wall Calendar giveaway highlights Hall Of Fame Trainers throughout the years, a Craft Beer and Cider Festival, Winter Family Fun Zone in the Infield, and multiple dining experiences including a whiskey tasting in the elegant Chandelier Room and Trackside Dining.
Tickets and packages to join the Opening Day festivities are now available for purchase at santaanita.com/events. For general admission, tickets are on sale for $10 when purchased online through TicketMaster, prices for admission at the gates will be $20. For current 1/ST REWARDS members admission is $5 when showing their loyalty cards at the Infield Admission gate.
Dining specials including a buffet in the panoramic FrontRunner restaurant and reserved seats are selling fast, fans can explore the different available ticket packages by visiting www.santaanita.com/events.
 Santa Anita & Xpressbet will host the $1,500 Opening Day Challenge with an estimated over $50,000 in prize value (based on 100 entries) including National Horseplayer’s Championship seats, Pegasus World Cup Seats, and cash prizes. Players can participate via Xpressbet or on-track at The Great Race Place. If a player wins on-track at Santa Anita, they will receive a $5,000 cash bonus.

OPENING DAY EVENTS & PROMOTIONS
FREE* 2026 Santa Anita Wall Calendar
$1,500 Opening Day Handicapping Challenge
$7,500 SHOWVIVOR Online Contest Begins
🥃 Opening Day Dining Specials: Chandelier Room & Premium SILKS, Trackside Dining, FrontRunner, Club Court
🍺 Opening Day Craft Beer Festival Trackside
🪑 Reserved Seats: Premium Box Seats, Loge Box Seats, and SILKS
🎉 Winter Family Fun Zone (Infield)
*With paid admission. While supplies last.
First post time for Opening Day is 11 a.m. PT with admission gates opening at 9 a.m. For more information please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

About The Stronach Group and 1/ST

The Stronach Group is a world-class technology, entertainment and real estate development company with Thoroughbred racing and pari-mutuel wagering at the core. The Stronach Group’s 1/ST business (pronounced “First”) is North America’s preeminent Thoroughbred racing and pari-mutuel wagering company and includes the 1/ST RACING & GAMING, 1/ST CONTENT, 1/ST TECHNOLOGY and 1/ST EXPERIENCE businesses, while advocating for and driving the 1/ST HORSE CARE mission. 1/ST represents The Stronach Group’s continued movement toward redefining Thoroughbred racing and the ecosystem that drives it. 1/ST RACING & GAMING drives the best-in-class racing operations and gaming offerings at the company’s premier racetracks, training centers and premier events including: Santa Anita Park and San Luis Rey Downs (California); Gulfstream Park – home of the Pegasus World Cup and Palm Meadows Thoroughbred Training Center (Florida); Laurel Park, The Preakness Stakes, Rosecroft Raceway and Bowie Training Center (Maryland). 1/ST CONTENT is the operating group for 1/ST’s media and content companies including: Monarch Content Management, Elite, TSG Global Wagering Solutions (GWS) and 1/ST TV. 1/ST TECHNOLOGY is racing’s largest racing and gaming technology company offering world-class products via its AmTote, Xpressbet, 1/ST BET, XB SELECT, XB NET, PariMAX and Betmix brands. 1/ST EXPERIENCE blends the worlds of sports, entertainment and hospitality through innovative content development, elevated national and local venue management and hospitality, strategic partnerships, sponsorships, and procurement development. As the advocate for critical industry reforms and by making meaningful investments into aftercare programs for retired horses and jockeys, 1/ST HORSE CARE represents The Stronach Group’s commitment to achieving the highest level of horse and rider care and safety standards in Thoroughbred racing on and off the track. The Stronach Group’s TSG Properties is responsible for the development of the company’s live, play and work communities surrounding its racing venues including: The Village at Gulfstream Park (Florida) and Paddock Pointe (Maryland). For more information, visit www.1st.com or follow @1ST_racing on Twitter or @1stracing on Instagram and Facebook.