New Positions For Egan at Santa Anita; Hammerle at 1/ST

Veteran horseman and racing official Jason Egan was promoted as the Director of Racing and Racing Secretary for Santa Anita Park beginning Jan. 27. He served as the track's Racing Coordinator since 2020, and he was named to his new post after Chris Merz announced his desire to take a more expansive operational role in the racing industry.

Additionally, Rick Hammerle will join 1/ST Racing as a consultant. After stops in California, New Jersey and Florida, he was most recently the Racing Coordinator at Oaklawn Park and Director of Racing Operations at Kentucky Downs.

Like Hammerle, Egan is a graduate of the University of Arizona's Racetrack Industry Program. While there, Egan interned with trainer Michael Dickinson and went on to work for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

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Santa Anita Ups Purses in Advance of Dec. 26 Opening

Santa Anita's winter meet, dubbed the 'Classic Race Meeting,' will open on its traditional Dec. 26 date with a new minimum stakes purse of $100,000 for both dirt and turf black-type events. In addition, allowance races will get a boost, with all open allowances set at $85,000 and first- through third-condition allowances run for purses ranging from $72,000 to $76,000. It is the largest purse structure in Santa Anita's 88-year history.

“There's no denying that expenses are up, across the board, in all facets of our economy,” said Santa Anita Director of Racing and Racing Secretary Chris Merz. “Along with the TOC [Thoroughbred Owners of California], without whose assistance these changes wouldn't be possible, we're hopeful these purse increases will assist owners and trainers who are paying the bills on the athletes that put on the show. Additionally, we want horsemen to know that all allowance races will now include a 'state-bred' provision which means any horse that has won a state-bred race anywhere in the country is still eligible for a $72,000 first-condition allowance here at Santa Anita.”

Santa Anita's downhill Camino Real, turf chute, and turf oval are all ready for the meet. “Our turf is in tremendous condition,” said Merz. “With our downhill and turf chute components, we are pleased to offer the betting public and fans alike a cornucopia of turf racing options.”

Six graded races are carded for opening day, including the GI Runhappy Malibu S., the GI La Brea S., and the GI American Oaks. GI Breeders' Cup Classic third Taiba (Gun Runner) will seek his third Grade I win of the year in the Malibu.

“We feel he has a lot of improvement left in him,” said Gary Young, racing manager for owner Amr Zedan. “We have a lot of confidence in this horse. The Malibu provides a good bridge between the Breeders' Cup and next year's Saudi Cup.”

Entries for opening day will be taken Dec. 21. First post is at 11 a.m.

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Ship & Win Program Returns at Santa Anita

Santa Anita will again offer its Ship & Win Program to provide bonuses to connections of horses brought in from other states to race at the Arcadia oval at its upcoming meet which opens Dec. 26.

“Simply put, the Ship & Win program is a winner,” said Santa Anita Director of Racing and Racing Secretary Chris Merz. “Santa Anita is a great place to train and race in the winter and with these bonuses in place for out-of-state horses, it's made us even more attractive to many owners and trainers around the country.

“Field size is always a top priority and with Ship & Win bolstering our inventory, we're in a better position to present an attractive product for our players to bet on. We're optimistic for the new year and we encourage anyone with questions to please give us a call.”

Eligible Ship & Win horses will receive a $5,000 bonus, as well as purse money at 35% above their allotted purse percentage for one start. Horses which became eligible at the 2022 Del Mar Crosby Season Meet will also be eligible for Ship & Win bonuses in their first start at Santa Anita's upcoming Classic Meeting.

The $5,000 bonus will also apply to any stakes horse that meets Ship & Win eligibility guidelines, but those horses will not be eligible for the 35% purse increase.

Santa Anita's Classic Meet condition book is available online at santaanita.com and in print form in the Santa Anita Racing Office.

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Santa Anita 2022-23 Winter/Spring Stakes Schedule Released

Santa Anita Park's 2022-23 Winter/Spring Stakes Schedule will offer a total of 93 stakes, 10 of them Grade I events, including  Apr. 8 showcasing the GI $750,000 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby, and 58 graded races beginning with the track's traditional opener on Monday, Dec. 26 through closing day, June 18. The track's popular 'Ship & Win' program will again provide significant monetary incentives for out-of-state runners. Opening day will feature a total of six graded stakes, highlighted by three Grade I, $300,000 events: the Runhappy Malibu, the La Brea, and the American Oaks. The GII Mathis Mile, GII San Antonio, and the GII San Gabriel S. are also on the docket. The complete schedule can be viewed here.

“We're pleased to be able to announce our Winter/Spring stakes schedule at this time and to once again let everyone know that our 'Ship & Win' program will be available to those out of state horses that qualify throughout the meet,” said Santa Anita Director of Racing, and Racing Secretary, Chris Merz. “We feel there is something for everyone in this stakes schedule and we are excited to offer it.  We worked diligently with trainers and other industry stakeholders to create a program that suits our horse population and caters to the needs of our owners and horsemen.”

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