Betfair Hollywood Park Season Opens

Just as the spring meet closes at Santa Anita Park, Southern California horse racing fans can turn their attention to Betfair Hollywood Park which opens its own 49-day Spring/Summer meet on Thursday, April 25, 2013. That marks the 75^th year of racing at Hollywood, which originally opened in 1938 under the management of the Hollywood Turf Club. Harry Warner, of Warner Brothers studio fame, was the original chairman of the board and over the years the track has naturally attracted many Hollywood celebrities to cheer on the races at this SoCal legend.

History for Hollywood Park Horse Racing

Over the years, Hollywood has witnessed a number of historic events related to the American thoroughbred racing industry. Citation, one of the most storied names in horse racing history, became the first horse to surpass $M US in earnings when he captured the 1951 Hollywood Gold Cup, the final start of his career. Hollywood Park also played host to the first Breeders' Cup World Championships in 1984. Live daily racing was suspended from 1942 to 1944 at Hollywood Park as the track was used as a storage facility for the US Military during WWII.

Hollywood racing highlights for 2013

For the 2013 Spring/Summer meet, Betfair Hollywood Park will feature 47 stakes races totaling $6.8 million in purses. The highlights of the stakes schedule are likely to be the venerable Grade I $500,000 Gold Cup on July 6, and the Grade I $350,000 American Oaks on July 13. Throughout the Spring/Summer meet, racing will be held at 1:00 PM PT on Thursdays through Sundays. There will also be a special Monday day of racing on Memorial Day, May 27, 2013.