On Friday, February 7, 2014, Arcadia Rotarians met at Santa Anita Race Track’s “Frontrunner Restaurant” for our annual “Day at the Races.”

Our restaurant location provided us with a magnificent view of the Race Track and its background, the San Gabriel Mountain Range (including Mt. Wilson), all of which contribute to it being called “the world’s most beautiful racetrack.”

Besides its unparalleled beauty, Santa Anita is also the oldest race track in southern California, if not in all of California (depending upon how it is identified).

The original Santa Anita was opened by Arcadia’s first mayor, E. J. “Lucky” Baldwin on December 7, 1907, apparently on the land which is now Arcadia County Park. However, in February, 1909 the Walker-Otis anti-bookmaking bill brought an end to the first Santa Anita. Baldwin passed away on March 1, 1909. When the California Racing Act of 1933 made Horse Racing again profitable, Bay Meadows opened in November 3, 1934 in Northern California, and the second Santa Anita (financed by Dr. Charles Strub and movie producer Hal Roach) opened on December 25, 1934 at its present site.

Some of the highlights of the track’s subsequent history included Seabiscuit winning the Santa Anita Handicap in 1940 in his last start. However, several years later in 1942, the Second World War caused racing at Santa Anita to be suspended. During the war between 1942 and 1944, Santa Anita became a Japanese American internment center. In 1945 the track reopened and went through the postwar years with prosperity. More recently, In 1984, Santa Anita was the site of equestrian events at the 1984 Olympics under the supervision of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh.

This year has a special significance for the Day at the Races inasmuch as (beginning on January 31) 2014 is “the Year of the Horse” in terms of the Chinese zodiac.

According to this authority, ” the Horse symbolizes such character traits as strength, energy, and an outgoing nature. Extremely animated, Horses thrive when they’re the center of attention.” As we looked out at the race horses approaching the starting gate, lining up, and then charging out, on their way to the finish line, they certainly did have our attention, especially those of us who had placed wagers on their success.

According to Chinese superstition, the number 4 is considered unlucky because the Mandarin word for that number has a sound similar to the Mandarin word for death. Despite this, horses bearing the number 4 won the first two races (the first race being won by “Oneandonlyloveman” and the second race by “Bob Consultation.”)

George Fasching had distributed to each table a list of his “pickaroos” for each race. However, his “pickaroos” for the first two races had the two winners (each bearing the number 4) in second place rather than first. Although George obviously has expertise in his choices, it might appear that he was being slightly superstitious in not picking the two winning number 4s to come in first.

Then too, the number 4 is also in the year 2014 which is almost entirely “the Year of the Horse.” Hopefully, 2014 will also be “the Year of Horse Racing at Santa Anita.” If not, when we return in 2015 we will find it has become “the Year of the Goat.” The “goat” will then be “on us,” as they say.