|
|
Racetrack Profiles > Oak Tree
Hollywood Park will play host for the first time to the Oak Tree Racing Association. The 42nd Oak Tree season will begin on Sept. 30 and continue through Oct. 31.
In 1968, three distinguished California racing figures— Clement L. Hirsch, Louis R. Rowan and Dr. Jack Robbins—met with then Santa Anita Park president Robert P. Strub and general manager Fred Ryan with a proposal to offer horsemen an opportunity for first-class racing between the end of the Del Mar season and the opening of the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting. The Southern California racing calendar was empty then, except for the brief L.A. County Fair meet run at the Pomona Fair grounds.
Oak Tree was designed to be a meeting run for horsemen, by horsemen. Santa Anita management agreed to an autumn racing season in 1969, and thus the Oak Tree Racing Association was in business. The first 20-day meeting did well in attendance and handle, and racing under the Oak Tree banner has grown from there, with profits designated primarily for worthy racing industry projects.
Clement Hirsch, a successful Thoroughbred owner and breeder, was Oak Tree’s first and only president until his death on March 24, 2000. He was succeeded by Dr. Robbins, who in addition to being one of the nation’s most respected practitioners of equine veterinary medicine, has also been an owner and manager of training, breeding and equine surgical facilities in California.
Robbins and his wife Maggie campaigned Strub Stakes winners Nostalgia’s Star and Most Host, plus stakes winners Honeys Gem, Smasher, Casselaria and Guilton Madero. Champion runners who benefited from his veterinary care included John Henry, Majestic Prince, Ancient Title and Native Diver.
Robbins and Hirsch were both instrumental in bringing the Breeders’ Cup to Santa Anita during the Oak Tree meetings of 1986 and 1993, and Robbins was at the helm for the record-breaking 2003 presentation of the renamed Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships.
In 2008, Breeders’ Cup officials designated Oak Tree at Santa Anita to host the World Championships for an unprecedented two consecutive years, in 2008 and 2009.
The Oak Tree Racing Association responded to the challenge by presenting two of the most successful Breeders’ Cups in the history of the event, which dates back to 1984. In 2008, the two-day World Championships, run on Friday, Oct. 24 and Saturday, Oct. 25, produced on-track crowds of 31,257 and 51,331, respectively.
In 2009 the two-day World Championships, run on Nov. 6 & 7, attracted on-track
crowds of 37,651 and 58,845, representing increases of 20 percent and six percent over the previous year.
Oak Tree is now poised to present its 42nd racing season at Hollywood Park for the first time. Throughout the years, Oak Tree has remained dedicated to channeling its profits to research, development and breeding, plus other worthy causes.
Oak Tree is a not for profit, non-dividend paying group of active California owners and breeders whose directors serve without compensation.
During its 40-plus years of dedication to the cause of “Horsemen Helping Horsemen,” Oak Tree has contributed more than $26 million to projects benefiting the racing industry.
This includes more than $4.6 million in support of projects at the University of California, Davis, Center for Equine Health and Performance. Oak Tree also gives to the Grayson-Jockey Club Foundation, American Horse Council, Race Track Chaplaincy and Winners Foundation, which assists people in horse racing to combat substance abuse.
At Santa Anita, horsemen continue to benefit from Oak Tree projects that have remodeled the stable cafeteria, backstretch recreation facility, and the funding of English speaking classes for backstretch workers.
Community organizations benefiting from Oak Tree grants include the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, Arcadia Mounted Police Unit, California Philharmonic, Fairplex Child Development Foundation, Hillsides Home for Children, Holy Angels School, Methodist Hospital Foundation and the Panda Charitable Foundation.
Oak Tree, Del Mar Offer Juvenile Turf Stakes
The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club announced April 20 that it will add two new juvenile turf stakes to its schedule in conjunction with the Oak Tree Racing Association during the upcoming meet. Read More →
Del Mar offers $7.75 million in stakes with boost from Oak Tree
Del Mar will offer 43 stakes worth $7.75 million at its summer meeting, which runs from July 18 to Sept. 5, including two new stakes for 2-year-olds on turf and one race renamed to reflect a closer re Read More →
Major stakes on tap during Santa Anita autumn meet
Santa Anita Park will be offering live horse racing this autumn and the meeting will be highlighted by a half-dozen Breeders’ Cup preview races. The 75-year-old track will conduct a fall meeting... [Read More]
Turbulent Descent Heavily Favored In The Las Virgenes At Santa Anita
For the first time in his career, Turbulent Descent, one of the leading 2-year olds to come out last year will be racing on dirt at Santa Anita in the Grade 1, $250,000 Las Virgenes Stakes on February... [Read More]
Haimish Hy Wins With Another Wide Run In The Hollywood Derby
It would seem unorthodox, and even to a certain extent, daring to try and win from the outside. And yet that is exactly what Haimish Hy has been doing, wining from the outside since his debut race at Del... [Read More]
Watch Live Races At Oak Tree
Oak Tree Racing Results
Google Earth Tour of Track 
Bet On Races At Oak Tree
Oak Tree in The News
This Site Powered by eBet Technologies, Inc.