October 16, 2025 • 35 mins
What if a 90-year-old racetrack could feel brand new without losing its soul? I sit down with Pete Siberell of Santa Anita Park to unpack how a true Arcadia icon blends world-class racing, safer practices, and community-first programming to create a destination that locals and visitors love. From the backside’s daily rhythm to the thrill at the finish line, Pete takes us through the work it takes to keep the place vibrant all year.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Christine Zito (00:04):
Hello and welcome back to Arcadia FYI.
I'm Christine Zito.
I am your host and I'm happy tobe here.
I'm happy you're here.
If you're watching on YouTube,I'm so glad you're watching.
This show, of course, isfocused on community here in the
Arcadia, in the city ofArcadia, and even outside the
city of Arcadia, because Ialways say we're one big happy
(00:26):
family here in the San GabrielValley.
And the show's about, well,it's in the title, FYI.
It's about information, funinformation, event information,
city information.
And yes, some of thosecontroversial information we can
bring on people to talk aboutthat.
But I just want to just giveyou information.
And if you have anyinformation, thank you for your
(00:47):
email.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I cannot thank you enough foryour emails and your Facebook
messages.
And those of you that I had anopportunity to talk to, it's
great.
I would like to thank oursponsors.
Um, of course, Longo Toyota inEl Monte.
You know what I'm gonna say.
I know.
You gotta go visit, say hi toMike, say hi to Brooke.
They do more than just sellcars.
(01:08):
They're like on a, I don'tknow, 100 acres, 50 acres or
something like that.
So they do more than just sellcars.
Star 7 Financial with FrancineChiu, who I think is, well, I'm
biased, the best financialadvisor here uh in the city in
San Gabriel Valley.
The Santa Anita Park.
Yeah, we'll be talking aboutthat in just a second, and the
(01:29):
Le Méridien Hotel here inArcadia and Pasadena.
All right, I'm gonna give you alittle guess of who you might
think might be in studio.
Did you get it?
Okay, just in case you didn't,how about this?
Promotional Video (01:47):
And they're up, stellar cap quick out of the
weight.
On the inside, fondest dream isquicker, though.
Christine Zito (01:54):
I know.
If you're watching on YouTube,you can see, but if you're
listening um on the podcast, youprobably have an idea.
Yes, finally, I've been waitingfor this day.
In studio, I havePete Siberell.
He is the director of specialprojects at the San Anita Park.
Welcome, Pete.
Pete Siberell (02:14):
Thank you, Christine.
Christine Zito (02:15):
All right, let me.
And we're off, I guess, right?
We're off.
We're off.
That's good.
And let me did I say your lastname right?
Sibirel.
Sibrell.
Pete Siberell (02:23):
Close enough.
Christine Zito (02:24):
Okay, so I have it here.
Pete Siberell, and it's allpronounced differently.
All right.
The San Anita Park.
What an icon here in the cityof I of Arcadia.
There's a lot of history there.
Pete Siberell (02:36):
Absolutely.
It's uh we've just finished our90th year.
Christine Zito (02:39):
98th?
Pete Siberell (02:40):
90th.
90th year.
Oh, 90th.
Yeah, we started in ChristmasDay of 1934.
Christine Zito (02:45):
Yeah, it's a lot of history.
And before we get into all ofthat, I want to I want people to
know you like I know you.
So I want to get to know Pete alittle bit.
Um were you born here inCalifornia, raised here?
Pete Siberell (02:58):
Uh I was actually born in LA, but at age two, I
think we moved to uh the EastCoast.
My dad worked in New York City,so we lived in Connecticut for
about 10 years.
Then moved to San Francisco,San Francisco Bay Area, where I
was kind of raised as a umteenager and into college.
Um so I and then I've been toSanta Anita for now 31 years, so
(03:22):
I still consider myself a BayArea person.
I'm a Niners and Giants andWarriors kind of guy.
Christine Zito (03:28):
So Giants, well Yes, I know.
Okay, I know I'm a Dodger fan.
I have this this will be agreat conversation.
But wow, you lived inConnecticut.
Okay, I gotta when when yousaid that, I've always wanted to
visit that East Coast becauseof just the history.
Did you live where it was likehow I see it in the pictures,
the beautiful trees, the ocean?
Pete Siberell (03:49):
No ocean, but um all of that in terms of the
trees and uh upgrading was welived in a um suburban area in
Connecticut called New Canaan.
We had as a kid it couldn'thave been a better area to to
grow up.
We had three and a half acresand a river and a swimming hole
and all that.
So um my dad, you know, when itsnowed though, we had a very
(04:12):
long driveway going up to thehouse, and so when it snowed, my
dad would have to get asnowplow every time to get him
out so he can go to the trainstation.
So he got a finally got a joboffer in San Francisco and said,
you know, bye-bye.
Christine Zito (04:24):
Wow, what a what a neat history.
Um Married, do you have kids,grandkids?
Pete Siberell (04:30):
Yeah, 31 years married, I think.
Um my wife uh still uh she's aflight attendant for United.
Um actually's in London rightnow doing a during a during a
trip.
Um two grown boys, one's inAtlanta, one's in Denver.
Um and then uh two wonderfuldogs at home to take care of.
Christine Zito (04:50):
Are you do you have any grandkids yet?
No, no, no, no, no.
Okay, so you're an emptynester.
Pete Siberell (04:55):
Yes.
Christine Zito (04:56):
What's what's what's that?
Pete Siberell (04:57):
It's good, it's fine.
It's it's good.
We have a chance to visit ourboys in various cities and uh
and do some more traveling, andum I'm good with it.
Christine Zito (05:06):
Oh, that's good, yeah, because guy, Connecticut,
the Bay, now Los Angeles, yeah.
The San Anita Park.
Okay, so let's.
I love that park, Pete.
So tell me what is exactlybecause you're your t did I give
you did I say your title right?
Pete Siberell (05:22):
Yeah, there's part of it is director of
community community service andspecial projects.
Christine Zito (05:27):
And and what is that?
What what is exactly?
Pete Siberell (05:29):
Well, uh the community service part is pretty
easy to talk about.
It's it's work with uh the cityof Arcadia, work with various
in the San Gabriel Valley withwith various cities and and uh
organizations for uhrepresenting the racetrack.
Um I'm on a whole bunch ofboards that always come back to
where we can help benefit thosethose organizations.
(05:51):
Um and then loc I make a localdonations, um uh so a lot of
city lays on work andrelationships.
And then beyond that, um I'm incharge of uh booking a lot of
big uh local events, whetherit's 626 Night Market or or
filming or um events in theinfield.
Christine Zito (06:14):
Um Well, we just had one in the paddock.
Pete Siberell (06:16):
We did, yes.
Christine Zito (06:17):
I wonder what that was.
Pete Siberell (06:18):
Yes.
Christine Zito (06:18):
Yeah, the taste of arcadia.
Pete Siberell (06:20):
Taste of Arcadia, yeah.
So um and then I'm also workingwith on the backside uh where
we have our um the people whowork with the horses um involve
various organizations to fortheir benefit, whether it's a
recreation center or sportsleagues or that kind of thing.
So I wear a whole bunch ofdifferent hats.
Every day is so different.
Christine Zito (06:40):
I know.
Okay.
Sea Biscuit, the movie, wasn'tthat film there?
Pete Siberell (06:46):
Yeah, we shot that going back to 19 or 2003.
We we filmed at Santa Anita forabout four straight months.
Um I happen to be thecoordinator of of that, um, of
that film.
Um so there was a lot of work,but it was totally worth it.
Uh have you seen it?
Christine Zito (07:02):
I assume I love I have I bought the movie back
when it was on Blu-ray, whenBlu-ray was around before all
the other stuff.
And then I I mean I'm I I meanwait, I got a DVD, I got it, I
got a Blu-ray, and now I evenown it on digital because I I
bought it on Amazon.
I love that that movie, thewhole story behind it.
Pete Siberell (07:20):
And it makes Santa Anita just look wonderful,
and you know, not a lot haschanged um since you know he ran
in 1938 to 1940.
Um if you wait long enough, uh,Christine, after the the you
know the movie's over and youlook at the credits, if you wait
another two and a half hours,my name comes up when the
credits But you gotta staythere, you have to stay in your
(07:41):
seat for a very long time.
Christine Zito (07:42):
No, that's fine.
I uh I will fast forward it toit.
I'm gonna find it now.
You know, I I just I really didthere's a few movies that I
that I love and and you and youcould share yours.
Mine number one Matrix.
I love the movie The Matrix.
Pete Siberell (07:56):
I couldn't understand it, but yeah.
Christine Zito (07:57):
Oh, okay.
So I loved it.
Number two is Sea Biscuit.
Nice.
I loved the whole story behindit.
Yeah, okay.
So you have to tell me yours.
Ugh.
I know, right?
Pete Siberell (08:07):
Um Brownhog Day comes to mind right away.
Christine Zito (08:10):
Yeah, that's coming up in February.
Pete Siberell (08:12):
Yeah, nice.
Christine Zito (08:13):
So, all right, let's move on.
Um, at the park, there's athere's a lot of different types
of races that go on.
What what are those races?
Pete Siberell (08:24):
So we're a thoroughbred track.
Uh Los Alamitos, which is partof the circuit, they run quarter
horses at night, but um,between the three major tracks
in Southern California duringthe day, Del Mar, Los Alamitos,
and Santa Anita, they're allthoroughbreds.
Um, and they age uh from twoyears up to about even eight or
(08:46):
nine years old.
Um so throughout the year, wewe race about seven months out
of the 12 year round.
Um so we'll have races um onthe dirt, on the grass, various
distances.
Um some are claiming races,which are the lower level types
of races, all the way up to amillion, two million dollar
(09:07):
races that could be part ofeither the Breeders' Cup or big
races like the Santa AnitaHandicap, the Santa Derby.
So um a lot of you know, werace three days a week.
Um we're about to uh start ourour our autumn meet, which is a
short meet um for about fiveweeks.
Um and then we'll take a breakand we'll come back the day
(09:30):
after Christmas and go all theway through the middle of June
of of 26.
Christine Zito (09:34):
When you say the races are still going on now,
is that people coming in andbetting on the cam with the
cameras?
Because I are are the horsesstill there?
Pete Siberell (09:41):
Yes, horses are s they just came back from Del
Mar, actually.
So they're they're here intraining every every day except
for um the Del Mar season, whichis in the summertime.
So they're here.
We have about sixteen hundredhorses live on the backside year
round, except for that periodwhen they're down at Del Mar.
Christine Zito (09:58):
1,600?
Pete Siberell (10:00):
Yes, that many.
Yeah, it's like a little cityback there.
I mean, they've got you know,they've got a animal hospital,
they've got a recreation center,they've got a dining hall.
Um we've got about 750 peoplewho live back there, work for
the horses in another when theand then another, say 2,500 come
excuse me, come in each day tohelp care for them.
(10:20):
So uh it's a big operation.
Christine Zito (10:22):
Yeah, that you know what I never knew that.
Now, with the when the raceshappen, when the gates open,
people buy their tickets, youhave your seating, there's
different places where peoplecan s can sit.
Can you share that?
Because people will will say,Well, where do I sit?
Pete Siberell (10:40):
So now let's Yeah, so we have a ri variety of
of, as you're right, variety ofseating um from walk around uh
in in the paddock or in thetrack apron, even in the
infield, all the way up to um uhthe what we call the there's
three restaurants, sit-downrestaurants there.
(11:01):
One is called Silks, one iscalled Front Runner, um, and
another is basically the terracefood court.
Um so you've there are avariety of of different options
you have depending on whetheryou want to be inside or
outside, you want to dresscasually or kind of dr or dress
up.
Um some people like to sit downat a table and be there all day
(11:25):
with lunch and a waiter.
Um I prefer, I'd rather be in abox in a set of box seats along
the track, um, kind of likekind of at a Dodger game where
you're with people right next tositting next to you, whether
it's two people or six people,or sometimes I'll get people all
together, a whole bunch ofboxes strung together, um, where
they're kind of on their ownfor food and drink, which is
(11:46):
very close by.
But you there's you're outside,you're near the finish line,
um, you have a great vantagepoint to see this, see the
races.
So all kinds of differentoptions.
We have a great ticket officethat can help push, you know,
put people in the right placedepending on their preferences.
Um I prefer the whole box seatarea.
Christine Zito (12:07):
The whole box seat, you've got to show me that
one day.
Yeah.
I probably know it.
Pete Siberell (12:11):
Right there, it's right down the it's down the
stretch.
So from the uh you know, fromthe eighth eighth pole down to
all to the finish line are allbox seats.
Oh, okay.
Then even above that are we putin twelve luxury suites, and
that ranges from twenty to fortypeople in a suite.
Yeah.
And then that's total decadencewith with service and bedding
bedding aids and um uh food anddrink, and you can bet right
(12:35):
there in the suite if you want.
Christine Zito (12:36):
And the suite has like you can walk down the
little stairs and see what'sgoing on.
Pete Siberell (12:39):
Yeah, there's an outside area, outside benches,
outside or sofas, I should say,out front in front of the um the
suite.
So those are good options foryou know for parties, um,
events, just people hanging outtogether, want to be together um
for the day.
Christine Zito (12:54):
Now, people can also rent out they can rent not
only for wedding, I'm trying tothink like what do you call it,
offices or like a a conferenceroom.
Do you have like a conferenceroom type thing?
Pete Siberell (13:06):
We do, we do a number of of uh meetings and um
you know a lot of what we do iswe'll s we'll sell a couple
rooms, whether it be thedirector's room or the or the
Baldwin conference room formeetings in the morning, and
then our first race is at 12 30or 1 o'clock, so people will go
from their meeting into having aday at the races.
So it's a pretty cool uhcombination of workplay.
Christine Zito (13:28):
With some of the events that the Santanita Park
puts on, one of them that I lovethat I've done almost every
year except when COVID happened,and that or and I think after
well, you would probably know,is the 5k derby.
What does that take to puttogether?
Because you have like what15,000 runners?
Pete Siberell (13:51):
Not that many.
I would love to have that many.
That's such a big number,Christine.
Christine Zito (13:55):
I can't remember.
Should I bring it down 5,000,6,000?
Pete Siberell (13:59):
Bring it down to about 6,000.
Okay, okay.
Yeah.
Christine Zito (14:01):
But that's still a lot of runners.
Pete Siberell (14:03):
Yeah, it's a lot of runners.
It's one of the biggest 5Ks umin Southern California, I'm
proud to say.
Um and I started that when Ifirst came to Santa Anita, and I
told my boss at the time, Isaid, um, we need to have a a 5K
run here, and it has to be onthe busiest day of the year.
And so it's basically alogistical nightmare with you
know upsetting trainingschedules and the city streets
(14:26):
and people getting to and fromthe arboretum and back to the
track.
And but it's really a coolexperience.
The whole idea was just to getpeople who maybe had not seen
Santa Anita to to bring theminside, to bring them into the
infield after the after therace, finish on the track
actually.
Finish on the track.
And then spill into the infieldand see how gorgeous and grand
it is and stay for a few racesand hopefully come back and with
(14:49):
the family or whoever whoeverelse and um you know make it a
basically we're alwaysrecruiting.
We want people to come.
Christine Zito (14:57):
If you're listening on podcasting, um go
to YouTube because I'll show yousome footage of the race yeah I
did because you know Pete putsit together, but let me tell you
from a runner's view, you startand you run across the the
shops of Santa Anita, right?
Then you go on to Baldwin andthen you go into the Arboretum,
(15:17):
you run in the Arboretum, it'sbeautiful.
Um all the peacocks are like,Why are you running so early in
the morning?
So we come out, and you will moa lot of times you'll see Pete
as you cross the street from theArboretum back into the Santa
Anita Park.
And you actually get this get avery small view, a little bit
of the background.
And then you go under, I think,is it two tunnels?
(15:41):
I can't remember if it's onetunnel.
Yeah, two tunnels, and then thelast tunnel you you come up,
you start coming onto the track,and then you end.
It is just it's an amazingtime.
I love that run.
I do it every year.
Pete Siberell (15:53):
Yeah, it's a great community event.
I as you're right, I s I standthere at on Baldwin at Gate 7
when people coming back from theArboretum, I get to see every
single person, um, which isreally cool for me.
And the people we a lot ofrepeats, we get the city council
coming out from our city ofArcadia.
And um, I we we uh also have acompetition.
Dominic Lazaretto, the citymanager, puts on a competition
(16:16):
for city staff.
So department by department,there's a there's a competition
with each other, and there'salways a annual trophy that's
given out at a city councilmeeting to the fastest uh
department.
So it's pretty cool to um notonly have that community aspect
to it, but to be you knowpromoting um fitness um and
(16:36):
healthy lifestyles.
Um and I should uh throw out acouple of shout-outs to major
sponsors.
One is USCR Kadia Hospital,who's been with us some from day
one.
They've been fantastic to workwith, and again, that fits into
what that's what that event'sall about.
And then the shops at SantaAnita have have been um there
for us every year as well as agreat sponsor.
(16:58):
We do the pre-registration uhevent packet pickup the day
before at the mall each year.
Christine Zito (17:05):
So And not only that, wait, there's more if you
come after the race.
You got this whole carnival,you got booths.
Pete Siberell (17:12):
Yes.
Christine Zito (17:13):
And it's just you know what, it's just a lot
of you have beer, you can getit.
Pete Siberell (17:17):
Yes.
But yes, so we've in kind of intandem uh put on a carnival the
same weekend, which reallyworks out well for a lot of the
families.
There's a kids run, um,depending on the age, whether
it's all the way around the thetraining track or just part way
down it, but a lot of those kidsjump right into all the to the
carnival rides after the race.
Christine Zito (17:35):
I know.
See, we're just I now I can'twait.
It's gonna it's is it alwaysthe first Saturday, second
Saturday?
Pete Siberell (17:41):
It's well, the the San Diego Derby is always
four weeks prior to the KentuckyDerby, and the Kentucky Derby
is always the first Saturday inMay.
So I think it's like Saturdaythe third or the fourth of
April.
Christine Zito (17:53):
Yeah, it's always right around, and that's
no fooling.
Pete Siberell (17:56):
I get it.
Christine Zito (17:57):
I just have to say.
Okay.
All right, let's uh let's talkabout sometimes you know, you
get these people that uh allright, I'm just gonna say it
like it is, all these animalrights and the things that you
went through.
I think it was before COVID andall this stuff that was
happening with the horses.
How do how do you and the parkhandle that type of controversy
(18:18):
where they stand out and havethese awful signs and uh it was
a rough stretch for us.
Pete Siberell (18:25):
Um the a lot of that is well, all of pretty much
all of it is is basically goneaway um because we have I think
we under we understood thatthere were had to be some
changes made to the way horseswere uh supervised and uh and
(18:45):
and looked at before they wentout out on the racetrack.
And in the old days, we feltthat maybe the trainers knew
best what their horses uh coulddo and could not do on the track
and found that maybe we shouldbe a little more look a little
more closely and have moreoversight of of every horse that
goes out on the track.
And we invested heavily inimaging machines on the uh on
(19:08):
the backside in the equinehospital, more vet checks, more
records, and as it turns out, umas painful as it was, um, we
really turned the corner on umuh uh horse injuries,
fatalities, um, where to wherenow we're one of the safest
racetracks in the country.
Um and we I read something theother day where there are
(19:31):
375,000 training sessions on thetrack um every year.
So we're we're something like99% um percent safety record.
Um that is great.
So it's we've really it's beenan amazing turnaround and uh
we're pretty proud of it.
Christine Zito (19:48):
I think that I I I think that the
congratulations.
I'm just gonna do it like that.
I you know, I'm gonna say this.
My grand my grandpa, he was amaintenance man there.
And he retired at the San AnitaPark.
And he used to tell me how wellyou guys took care of the
horses, and you know, you alwaysyou always have a bad seed, you
always got uh someone whodoesn't really uh the owners and
(20:11):
those that with the horses.
So for me, you know, knowingall of that, I know that the
Santa Nata Park does its bestfor the health of the horses,
the track, and the people.
Yeah, you know, so I think thatthat's I give you kudos for uh
thank you.
Pete Siberell (20:28):
Yeah, safety is number one for us.
Christine Zito (20:31):
So okay.
I think everybody's beenwaiting for this because I have
been waiting for this part, andthat is something very big is
gonna be happening in 2028.
Does anybody know?
Anybody know?
Okay, we all know.
The Olympics is coming to LosAngeles, and the Santa Anita
Park has been chosen, I have ithere, and uh has been chosen to
(20:54):
host team and individualcompetitions and in uh jumping,
dresses, and inventing.
I have no idea what any ofthose are, but that's what it
says.
Okay.
How do you win something likethis, if that uh is the case?
Because I know another city isnot really happy about it.
Pete Siberell (21:15):
Right.
Well, this is yeah, this hasevolved.
The decision to host theequestrian games for the 28 um
has evolved um from I thinkfirst Hansen Dam in the valley
and then uh uh certainly calledGalway Downs in Temecula.
Promotional Video (21:32):
Yeah.
Pete Siberell (21:33):
Um and then I think was probably six weeks ago
or so announced it was actuallycoming to Santa Anita instead.
Um I a lot of it was becausethey wanted to make it closer to
the core of LA.
Um secondly to return to someiconic um uh structures, venues
(21:56):
that were here in '84 when welast hosted it, and see, you
know, can you do it?
Can that facility handle uh therequirements of of hosting an
Olympics event?
And we um uh we showed thatlast November.
We had two and two wakeweekends, um back-to-back
weekends November.
(22:16):
We hosted a two world-class uminternational equestrian um uh
events in the infield.
We constructed three showarenas where they could do the
dressage and and the showjumping.
Christine Zito (22:30):
Um and then dressage, I suppose.
Pete Siberell (22:32):
Dressage, yes.
And then the third part of thatis a cross country course, um,
which w will tie into our ourcurrent uh downhill uh turf
course, but we've got some workto do to make that happen.
Christine Zito (22:47):
Cross country.
That's like a long run.
Pete Siberell (22:50):
It's a long run, yeah.
If you look back in last year,well 24 was in Vers at
Versailles, where all theequestrian um events were held,
um just some gorgeous um footageof those cross-country courses
about three or four miles long,actually.
Um and it's it's gorgeous.
Um it's a beautiful sport withyou know, we have with jumps and
(23:14):
water features and that kind ofthing.
Um but that's something we haveto have done and in place by
July of 27 um because we have todo it have to do a test run for
the Olympic people a year priorto uh to op to when we open in
in uh 28.
Christine Zito (23:30):
The cross-countrying, which is known
as eventing, how long do youhappen to know?
Three to four miles.
Three to four miles.
Pete Siberell (23:36):
I've seen like 4,800 meters is the last one I
saw.
Christine Zito (23:39):
Yeah, because they're jumping, like you said,
they're doing uh skills, terrainwith obstacles.
Pete Siberell (23:47):
Right.
Yeah, all that, yeah.
It's um it's a majorcommitment, and then by the time
we're finished, um we will haveprobably the preeminent uh
equestrian facility, you know,in uh particularly obviously in
California, but even nationwide.
Christine Zito (24:03):
That is great.
Pete Siberell (24:04):
So whether it's racing or or these equestrian
events, this San Anita's theplace to go.
Christine Zito (24:10):
Um now this is not the first time the Olympics
have come to the Santa AnitaPark, am I correct?
Pete Siberell (24:17):
That's right.
Um so there's you know, 32everybody knows about um at the
Hook Coliseum, but 84 uh I'lltell the story.
I um 1984, I was dating a girldown from Pallas Verdes, which
is horse country down there,Rolling Hills area, and she
literally dragged me to SantaAnita um 1984 to come see the
(24:40):
Olympics held there, um,equestrian games, and I didn't
want to go, I had no idea abouthorses, didn't know anything
about Santa Anita.
Um I was kind of therereluctantly, but you know, they
pulled it off, did a wonderfuljob.
Right in it was sold right infront of the grandstand um on
the main track.
Um here this for 28 it will bein the infield on these show
(25:00):
arenas that we've built, alongalong with the um uh with the
cross-country course that'sthat's being constructed in the
North Lot.
Christine Zito (25:08):
Wow, I think that is just a great it's it is
exciting for the city ofArcadia, you know.
Um now I'm gonna give away alittle bit where I live.
I can walk.
I jog I jog by uh the um theracetrack.
So with the LA Olympics, do youhappen to know yet uh ticket
sales, scheduling, anything likethat yet, Pete?
Pete Siberell (25:29):
Very coming.
This is a really steep learningcurve for all of us.
I think we just got gotteninvolved the last couple months.
We've had a couple meetingswith the LA 28 people.
Um they're kind of runningaround their heads cut off
because they've got 25 venues tocover.
Um I don't have tickinformation on tickets yet.
I think we'll have something upon our website pretty soon.
Um I do know that we'llprobably have handle somewhere
(25:53):
between 20,000 and 40,000 peoplea day during the I think
there's six, seven days of ofevents happening at Santa Anita.
Then after that, actually, arethe Paralympics after the the LA
28 Olympics.
So we'll also have equestriangames for for uh uh pair
athletes as well.
Christine Zito (26:12):
Okay, so here's a my niece is into she loves
horses, so she rides horses, soshe competes, but she does okay,
and and you can you can emailme or Facebook me if I'm not
getting the terminology right oreven Pete can correct me.
She does barrel racing.
She wrote the horse run.
Do you are are you doing thatat the racetrack?
Pete Siberell (26:34):
Not in conjunction with the Olympics.
Um we are planning a rodeoevent.
I've been asked to you know toblock off the infield um for a
rodeo event, I think, in July.
Um and that would includebarrel racing and July of 2026.
Christine Zito (26:52):
I'm gonna get my niece involved.
Pete Siberell (26:54):
So again, that's something will be up on the
website on that, and I'll I'llcheck into that, give you more
information on that.
Christine Zito (26:58):
Wow, so many things.
We've got the Olympics, now wegot a rodeo.
Um now we we're in our we're inOctober.
Something special is comingChristmas.
Pete Siberell (27:09):
Yeah, yes.
Christine Zito (27:10):
I want to talk about that.
Um get your ice skating shoeson.
Pete Siberell (27:14):
I saw in the news the other day that like last
week they said they're hundreddays to Christmas.
So even less now.
Christine Zito (27:20):
Now I'm stressed.
Pete Siberell (27:21):
I me too.
Um so we were we started talkswith um these guys, there the
company's called Enchant.
And back in 2020 or so beforeCOVID, we were talking to them
about a major holiday light showevent, kind of a spectacular
event in the our South Parkinglot next to the next to the
(27:42):
shops at Santa Anita.
And COVID hit, and we had topush that off.
Um what these guys didoriginally, how they came about,
was starting to uh they weredecorating people's houses
during Christmas time, and thatbuilt into uh working with um
minor league baseball parks,which were not you know being
used any for anything during theholidays, to again uh create a
(28:07):
holiday lighting spectacularkind of show.
Um and they actually moved intothe Seattle to the Seattle
Mariners Stadium.
I flew up to see it and I've Iwas completely knocked off,
knocked off my feet with theirqu the quality of this event.
Um but it's it's gonna have youknow a meandering skate trail,
(28:28):
it's gonna have 80-footChristmas tree, it's gonna have
um snow hills, um booths, foodand drink, you know, for the
holidays.
Um and everything now,Christine, is like you know, is
take everybody taking pictures.
So this is just perfect fortaking pictures.
Christine Zito (28:46):
Is Santa gonna show up?
Pete Siberell (28:47):
Santa will be there uh uh multiple Santa's,
I'm sure.
Um but this is the first timethat they've built something
from ground up.
This basic and so that's whyI'm kind of intrigued to see
what what it's how it's gonnalook how it's gonna look not
only from inside but alsooutside out on Huntington and
elsewhere.
Christine Zito (29:08):
Is there gonna be an ice skating trail?
Pete Siberell (29:10):
Yeah, and it's well it's it's in Seattle, and I
think the same kind of thingthey want to do here is
basically a meandering skatetrail, just kind of a round
loop.
You can take and it's really Imean it's the mood is fantastic.
Christine Zito (29:24):
That's cool.
So they get to ice skate aroundthe whole event and be oh wow,
it's almost like taking a trainride.
Pete Siberell (29:29):
Yeah, and then there's some kind of um what do
you call them?
Scavenger hunt, apparently theybuilt into this into this event
as well.
So it's really how to iceskate.
I'm sure they can help you withI don't put it.
Christine Zito (29:42):
I roller skated a lot, but I don't have to be.
Pete Siberell (29:46):
I don't I don't know how they're gonna do that.
Christine Zito (29:48):
Oh my god.
Pete Siberell (29:49):
But it sounds it's gonna be great.
I mean they start moving in themiddle of October, and first
performances will be at themiddle of November, and they'll
they'll uh go through Christmas.
Christine Zito (29:58):
That is Well, uh there's so many things I you
you'll have to come back and Ido thank you for even sponsoring
Arcadia FYI.
Our pleasure doing great work.
I think it's great.
Um Is there anything else thatyou would like?
I know you have so many uh therace is open the day after
Christmas.
Pete Siberell (30:18):
Yes.
Christine Zito (30:19):
So we have the the Christmas what is that
called?
I know you just said it, theChristmas um event that's
happening.
Pete Siberell (30:25):
Enchant.
Christine Zito (30:26):
Enchant.
Pete Siberell (30:27):
So we'll start our autumn meet we'll go through
s October 26th.
Um not so sure when this airwhen this show airs, but um
we'll take a break, then we'llstart the day after Christmas,
and then as I say, go throughthe middle of June.
Christine Zito (30:42):
Do you have any do you do you ever do things on
New Year's Eve to open up thenew year?
Um I know we have the RoseParade coming.
Pete Siberell (30:50):
Yeah, we we do actually we do some number of
events with with the Tournamentof Roses, depending on it's a
lot of it is up to the presidentat the time, where they do
parties at their discretion atvarious venues, but we've been
lucky enough to host a lot ofthe Tournament of Roses events
uh at Santa Anita.
Um in terms of you know uhfireworks and New Year's Eve,
(31:14):
that doesn't work with horses onthe ground.
So so we we avoid that kind ofthing.
Christine Zito (31:19):
When is the Breeders' Cup coming back?
Pete Siberell (31:21):
Don't know.
Um hasn't nothing's beenannounced yet.
Um Delmar will um it'll be atthis year's Breeders' Cup will
be at Del Mar at the end of uhOctober.
And then next year we'll be atKeeneland in Kentucky, in
Lexington, Kentucky.
Year after that we'll be atBelmont Park, which is
completely being renovated uh inNew York um as a racetrack.
(31:46):
So they'll be opening andhosting the Breeders' Cups.
Christine Zito (31:49):
And that's in 2028.
Pete Siberell (31:51):
That puts us into 2029, 27.
Christine Zito (31:53):
Is it 2027?
Yeah, 2027, honestly.
Pete Siberell (31:56):
And then so we're hopefully uh uh back on the
rotation in 28 to come back tothe West Coast, we're hoping,
but nothing's been announced.
We'd love to have it back.
Christine Zito (32:03):
I know.
I have to say I I volunteeredat that Breeders' Cup, and it
was one of the best events thatI got to volunteer in.
Pete Siberell (32:10):
And thank you for your for your help on that.
Christine Zito (32:11):
It's been a great I still have my shirt, I
still have everything that wasit was great.
Pete Siberell (32:15):
So And we'll and also speaking of volunteering,
uh I'm sure I'll be involvedsomehow um with the volunteer um
portion of the Olympics.
Um recruiting people.
Um obviously Breeders Cupvolunteers will be right number
one on the list to to becontacted uh to help to help
with this with with theOlympics.
Christine Zito (32:35):
So all tickets and everybody that wants to buy
tickets, whether it be in thesuites and the boxes, it's all
on your website.
Pete Siberell (32:44):
Uh at least some preliminary information what to
expect.
Christine Zito (32:47):
But they can always go, oh, I before we go, I
ha Clocker's Corner.
Okay.
I know that sometimes I like togo, it's so relaxing.
On Saturday mornings, I get upand I go and I just sit and I
just watch the horses, they'rethey're training and running.
Pete Siberell (33:02):
Yes.
So yeah, horses are on thetrack from 4 45 in the morning
till 10 in the morning everyday.
So encourage people, and it'sfree to go down and see the
horses train.
Um it's a great spot,particularly on weekends.
We get a lot of people in andbreak have breakfast, watch the
horses, um, have a cup ofcoffee.
Um Rosie Um Ibarra is downthere.
(33:24):
She's she's a mainstay down inthe kitchen.
She'll take care of you interms of breakfast.
Promotional Video (33:28):
Breakfast burritos, and then there you go.
Pete Siberell (33:30):
And then we have um we'll have tram tours on
check the website, but I thinkat least on Saturdays, if not
Sundays, we have uh tram leavingClocker's Corner that takes uh
people through the backside andthen over into the paddock to
see the Jock's room and theSilk's room, and it's a really
cool experience for people.
Christine Zito (33:50):
See all these things that I didn't even know
that were going on at the SantaAnita Park.
Thank you so much, Pete, forcoming in and sharing with us.
And you will definitely becoming back as the Olympics get
closer.
And everything that we talkedabout will be on arcadiafyi
uh.com.
All the the websites and anyinformation that comes up, I'll
(34:11):
I will help in um informing youon everything that happens at
the San Anita Park.
Thank you so much.
Pete Siberell (34:18):
Thanks, Christina.
I really appreciate you gettingthe word out about uh about
about us and everything elsegoing on in Arcadia.
Christine Zito (34:23):
Yeah, it is see, uh weren't you?
I was you always learnsomething about the city of
Arcadia, especially iconicplaces like the San Anita Park
because we're so familiar withit and yet we don't really know
what goes on inside.
And you gotta go to the frontrunner restaurant, their food is
delicious.
Crab cakes.
Yeah, oh they are justeverything uh you just gotta go.
(34:46):
You just you and well let meask you this can people come in?
Um the gates open, and peoplecan just go in and uh they can
go upstairs, they can go to thefront runner, all of that's open
to the public.
Pete Siberell (34:59):
I mean, people don't have a reservation if
you're gonna use you know, eatin front runner or soaps
restaurants.
Christine Zito (35:06):
And they they have a gift store.
It's just there's so much.
Uh Sea Biscuit is in thepaddock right there in the
center.
I mean, there's just so much tosee at the San Anita Park.
I just want to thank oursponsors once again, Longo
Toyota in El Monte.
Gotta stop by, check out uh thecars.
(35:26):
They do more than just sellcars on that 1500-acre lot.
Star 7 Financial with FrancineChiu, the San Anita Park, who
you just heard from Pete,the Le Méridien Hotel in Arcadia
and Pasadena.
Until next time, just make it agreat and be blessed!
Hello and welcome back to Arcadia FYI.
I'm Christine Zito.
I am your host and I'm happy tobe here.
I'm happy you're here.
If you're watching on YouTube,I'm so glad you're watching.
This show, of course, isfocused on community here in the
Arcadia, in the city ofArcadia, and even outside the
city of Arcadia, because Ialways say we're one big happy
(00:26):
family here in the San GabrielValley.
And the show's about, well,it's in the title, FYI.
It's about information, funinformation, event information,
city information.
And yes, some of thosecontroversial information we can
bring on people to talk aboutthat.
But I just want to just giveyou information.
And if you have anyinformation, thank you for your
(00:47):
email.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I cannot thank you enough foryour emails and your Facebook
messages.
And those of you that I had anopportunity to talk to, it's
great.
I would like to thank oursponsors.
Um, of course, Longo Toyota inEl Monte.
You know what I'm gonna say.
I know.
You gotta go visit, say hi toMike, say hi to Brooke.
They do more than just sellcars.
(01:08):
They're like on a, I don'tknow, 100 acres, 50 acres or
something like that.
So they do more than just sellcars.
Star 7 Financial with FrancineChiu, who I think is, well, I'm
biased, the best financialadvisor here uh in the city in
San Gabriel Valley.
The Santa Anita Park.
Yeah, we'll be talking aboutthat in just a second, and the
(01:29):
Le Méridien Hotel here inArcadia and Pasadena.
All right, I'm gonna give you alittle guess of who you might
think might be in studio.
Did you get it?
Okay, just in case you didn't,how about this?
Promotional Video (01:47):
And they're up, stellar cap quick out of the
weight.
On the inside, fondest dream isquicker, though.
Christine Zito (01:54):
I know.
If you're watching on YouTube,you can see, but if you're
listening um on the podcast, youprobably have an idea.
Yes, finally, I've been waitingfor this day.
In studio, I havePete Siberell.
He is the director of specialprojects at the San Anita Park.
Welcome, Pete.
Pete Siberell (02:14):
Thank you, Christine.
Christine Zito (02:15):
All right, let me.
And we're off, I guess, right?
We're off.
We're off.
That's good.
And let me did I say your lastname right?
Sibirel.
Sibrell.
Pete Siberell (02:23):
Close enough.
Christine Zito (02:24):
Okay, so I have it here.
Pete Siberell, and it's allpronounced differently.
All right.
The San Anita Park.
What an icon here in the cityof I of Arcadia.
There's a lot of history there.
Pete Siberell (02:36):
Absolutely.
It's uh we've just finished our90th year.
Christine Zito (02:39):
98th?
Pete Siberell (02:40):
90th.
90th year.
Oh, 90th.
Yeah, we started in ChristmasDay of 1934.
Christine Zito (02:45):
Yeah, it's a lot of history.
And before we get into all ofthat, I want to I want people to
know you like I know you.
So I want to get to know Pete alittle bit.
Um were you born here inCalifornia, raised here?
Pete Siberell (02:58):
Uh I was actually born in LA, but at age two, I
think we moved to uh the EastCoast.
My dad worked in New York City,so we lived in Connecticut for
about 10 years.
Then moved to San Francisco,San Francisco Bay Area, where I
was kind of raised as a umteenager and into college.
Um so I and then I've been toSanta Anita for now 31 years, so
(03:22):
I still consider myself a BayArea person.
I'm a Niners and Giants andWarriors kind of guy.
Christine Zito (03:28):
So Giants, well Yes, I know.
Okay, I know I'm a Dodger fan.
I have this this will be agreat conversation.
But wow, you lived inConnecticut.
Okay, I gotta when when yousaid that, I've always wanted to
visit that East Coast becauseof just the history.
Did you live where it was likehow I see it in the pictures,
the beautiful trees, the ocean?
Pete Siberell (03:49):
No ocean, but um all of that in terms of the
trees and uh upgrading was welived in a um suburban area in
Connecticut called New Canaan.
We had as a kid it couldn'thave been a better area to to
grow up.
We had three and a half acresand a river and a swimming hole
and all that.
So um my dad, you know, when itsnowed though, we had a very
(04:12):
long driveway going up to thehouse, and so when it snowed, my
dad would have to get asnowplow every time to get him
out so he can go to the trainstation.
So he got a finally got a joboffer in San Francisco and said,
you know, bye-bye.
Christine Zito (04:24):
Wow, what a what a neat history.
Um Married, do you have kids,grandkids?
Pete Siberell (04:30):
Yeah, 31 years married, I think.
Um my wife uh still uh she's aflight attendant for United.
Um actually's in London rightnow doing a during a during a
trip.
Um two grown boys, one's inAtlanta, one's in Denver.
Um and then uh two wonderfuldogs at home to take care of.
Christine Zito (04:50):
Are you do you have any grandkids yet?
No, no, no, no, no.
Okay, so you're an emptynester.
Pete Siberell (04:55):
Yes.
Christine Zito (04:56):
What's what's what's that?
Pete Siberell (04:57):
It's good, it's fine.
It's it's good.
We have a chance to visit ourboys in various cities and uh
and do some more traveling, andum I'm good with it.
Christine Zito (05:06):
Oh, that's good, yeah, because guy, Connecticut,
the Bay, now Los Angeles, yeah.
The San Anita Park.
Okay, so let's.
I love that park, Pete.
So tell me what is exactlybecause you're your t did I give
you did I say your title right?
Pete Siberell (05:22):
Yeah, there's part of it is director of
community community service andspecial projects.
Christine Zito (05:27):
And and what is that?
What what is exactly?
Pete Siberell (05:29):
Well, uh the community service part is pretty
easy to talk about.
It's it's work with uh the cityof Arcadia, work with various
in the San Gabriel Valley withwith various cities and and uh
organizations for uhrepresenting the racetrack.
Um I'm on a whole bunch ofboards that always come back to
where we can help benefit thosethose organizations.
(05:51):
Um and then loc I make a localdonations, um uh so a lot of
city lays on work andrelationships.
And then beyond that, um I'm incharge of uh booking a lot of
big uh local events, whetherit's 626 Night Market or or
filming or um events in theinfield.
Christine Zito (06:14):
Um Well, we just had one in the paddock.
Pete Siberell (06:16):
We did, yes.
Christine Zito (06:17):
I wonder what that was.
Pete Siberell (06:18):
Yes.
Christine Zito (06:18):
Yeah, the taste of arcadia.
Pete Siberell (06:20):
Taste of Arcadia, yeah.
So um and then I'm also workingwith on the backside uh where
we have our um the people whowork with the horses um involve
various organizations to fortheir benefit, whether it's a
recreation center or sportsleagues or that kind of thing.
So I wear a whole bunch ofdifferent hats.
Every day is so different.
Christine Zito (06:40):
I know.
Okay.
Sea Biscuit, the movie, wasn'tthat film there?
Pete Siberell (06:46):
Yeah, we shot that going back to 19 or 2003.
We we filmed at Santa Anita forabout four straight months.
Um I happen to be thecoordinator of of that, um, of
that film.
Um so there was a lot of work,but it was totally worth it.
Uh have you seen it?
Christine Zito (07:02):
I assume I love I have I bought the movie back
when it was on Blu-ray, whenBlu-ray was around before all
the other stuff.
And then I I mean I'm I I meanwait, I got a DVD, I got it, I
got a Blu-ray, and now I evenown it on digital because I I
bought it on Amazon.
I love that that movie, thewhole story behind it.
Pete Siberell (07:20):
And it makes Santa Anita just look wonderful,
and you know, not a lot haschanged um since you know he ran
in 1938 to 1940.
Um if you wait long enough, uh,Christine, after the the you
know the movie's over and youlook at the credits, if you wait
another two and a half hours,my name comes up when the
credits But you gotta staythere, you have to stay in your
(07:41):
seat for a very long time.
Christine Zito (07:42):
No, that's fine.
I uh I will fast forward it toit.
I'm gonna find it now.
You know, I I just I really didthere's a few movies that I
that I love and and you and youcould share yours.
Mine number one Matrix.
I love the movie The Matrix.
Pete Siberell (07:56):
I couldn't understand it, but yeah.
Christine Zito (07:57):
Oh, okay.
So I loved it.
Number two is Sea Biscuit.
Nice.
I loved the whole story behindit.
Yeah, okay.
So you have to tell me yours.
Ugh.
I know, right?
Pete Siberell (08:07):
Um Brownhog Day comes to mind right away.
Christine Zito (08:10):
Yeah, that's coming up in February.
Pete Siberell (08:12):
Yeah, nice.
Christine Zito (08:13):
So, all right, let's move on.
Um, at the park, there's athere's a lot of different types
of races that go on.
What what are those races?
Pete Siberell (08:24):
So we're a thoroughbred track.
Uh Los Alamitos, which is partof the circuit, they run quarter
horses at night, but um,between the three major tracks
in Southern California duringthe day, Del Mar, Los Alamitos,
and Santa Anita, they're allthoroughbreds.
Um, and they age uh from twoyears up to about even eight or
(08:46):
nine years old.
Um so throughout the year, wewe race about seven months out
of the 12 year round.
Um so we'll have races um onthe dirt, on the grass, various
distances.
Um some are claiming races,which are the lower level types
of races, all the way up to amillion, two million dollar
(09:07):
races that could be part ofeither the Breeders' Cup or big
races like the Santa AnitaHandicap, the Santa Derby.
So um a lot of you know, werace three days a week.
Um we're about to uh start ourour our autumn meet, which is a
short meet um for about fiveweeks.
Um and then we'll take a breakand we'll come back the day
(09:30):
after Christmas and go all theway through the middle of June
of of 26.
Christine Zito (09:34):
When you say the races are still going on now,
is that people coming in andbetting on the cam with the
cameras?
Because I are are the horsesstill there?
Pete Siberell (09:41):
Yes, horses are s they just came back from Del
Mar, actually.
So they're they're here intraining every every day except
for um the Del Mar season, whichis in the summertime.
So they're here.
We have about sixteen hundredhorses live on the backside year
round, except for that periodwhen they're down at Del Mar.
Christine Zito (09:58):
1,600?
Pete Siberell (10:00):
Yes, that many.
Yeah, it's like a little cityback there.
I mean, they've got you know,they've got a animal hospital,
they've got a recreation center,they've got a dining hall.
Um we've got about 750 peoplewho live back there, work for
the horses in another when theand then another, say 2,500 come
excuse me, come in each day tohelp care for them.
(10:20):
So uh it's a big operation.
Christine Zito (10:22):
Yeah, that you know what I never knew that.
Now, with the when the raceshappen, when the gates open,
people buy their tickets, youhave your seating, there's
different places where peoplecan s can sit.
Can you share that?
Because people will will say,Well, where do I sit?
Pete Siberell (10:40):
So now let's Yeah, so we have a ri variety of
of, as you're right, variety ofseating um from walk around uh
in in the paddock or in thetrack apron, even in the
infield, all the way up to um uhthe what we call the there's
three restaurants, sit-downrestaurants there.
(11:01):
One is called Silks, one iscalled Front Runner, um, and
another is basically the terracefood court.
Um so you've there are avariety of of different options
you have depending on whetheryou want to be inside or
outside, you want to dresscasually or kind of dr or dress
up.
Um some people like to sit downat a table and be there all day
(11:25):
with lunch and a waiter.
Um I prefer, I'd rather be in abox in a set of box seats along
the track, um, kind of likekind of at a Dodger game where
you're with people right next tositting next to you, whether
it's two people or six people,or sometimes I'll get people all
together, a whole bunch ofboxes strung together, um, where
they're kind of on their ownfor food and drink, which is
(11:46):
very close by.
But you there's you're outside,you're near the finish line,
um, you have a great vantagepoint to see this, see the
races.
So all kinds of differentoptions.
We have a great ticket officethat can help push, you know,
put people in the right placedepending on their preferences.
Um I prefer the whole box seatarea.
Christine Zito (12:07):
The whole box seat, you've got to show me that
one day.
Yeah.
I probably know it.
Pete Siberell (12:11):
Right there, it's right down the it's down the
stretch.
So from the uh you know, fromthe eighth eighth pole down to
all to the finish line are allbox seats.
Oh, okay.
Then even above that are we putin twelve luxury suites, and
that ranges from twenty to fortypeople in a suite.
Yeah.
And then that's total decadencewith with service and bedding
bedding aids and um uh food anddrink, and you can bet right
(12:35):
there in the suite if you want.
Christine Zito (12:36):
And the suite has like you can walk down the
little stairs and see what'sgoing on.
Pete Siberell (12:39):
Yeah, there's an outside area, outside benches,
outside or sofas, I should say,out front in front of the um the
suite.
So those are good options foryou know for parties, um,
events, just people hanging outtogether, want to be together um
for the day.
Christine Zito (12:54):
Now, people can also rent out they can rent not
only for wedding, I'm trying tothink like what do you call it,
offices or like a a conferenceroom.
Do you have like a conferenceroom type thing?
Pete Siberell (13:06):
We do, we do a number of of uh meetings and um
you know a lot of what we do iswe'll s we'll sell a couple
rooms, whether it be thedirector's room or the or the
Baldwin conference room formeetings in the morning, and
then our first race is at 12 30or 1 o'clock, so people will go
from their meeting into having aday at the races.
So it's a pretty cool uhcombination of workplay.
Christine Zito (13:28):
With some of the events that the Santanita Park
puts on, one of them that I lovethat I've done almost every
year except when COVID happened,and that or and I think after
well, you would probably know,is the 5k derby.
What does that take to puttogether?
Because you have like what15,000 runners?
Pete Siberell (13:51):
Not that many.
I would love to have that many.
That's such a big number,Christine.
Christine Zito (13:55):
I can't remember.
Should I bring it down 5,000,6,000?
Pete Siberell (13:59):
Bring it down to about 6,000.
Okay, okay.
Yeah.
Christine Zito (14:01):
But that's still a lot of runners.
Pete Siberell (14:03):
Yeah, it's a lot of runners.
It's one of the biggest 5Ks umin Southern California, I'm
proud to say.
Um and I started that when Ifirst came to Santa Anita, and I
told my boss at the time, Isaid, um, we need to have a a 5K
run here, and it has to be onthe busiest day of the year.
And so it's basically alogistical nightmare with you
know upsetting trainingschedules and the city streets
(14:26):
and people getting to and fromthe arboretum and back to the
track.
And but it's really a coolexperience.
The whole idea was just to getpeople who maybe had not seen
Santa Anita to to bring theminside, to bring them into the
infield after the after therace, finish on the track
actually.
Finish on the track.
And then spill into the infieldand see how gorgeous and grand
it is and stay for a few racesand hopefully come back and with
(14:49):
the family or whoever whoeverelse and um you know make it a
basically we're alwaysrecruiting.
We want people to come.
Christine Zito (14:57):
If you're listening on podcasting, um go
to YouTube because I'll show yousome footage of the race yeah I
did because you know Pete putsit together, but let me tell you
from a runner's view, you startand you run across the the
shops of Santa Anita, right?
Then you go on to Baldwin andthen you go into the Arboretum,
(15:17):
you run in the Arboretum, it'sbeautiful.
Um all the peacocks are like,Why are you running so early in
the morning?
So we come out, and you will moa lot of times you'll see Pete
as you cross the street from theArboretum back into the Santa
Anita Park.
And you actually get this get avery small view, a little bit
of the background.
And then you go under, I think,is it two tunnels?
(15:41):
I can't remember if it's onetunnel.
Yeah, two tunnels, and then thelast tunnel you you come up,
you start coming onto the track,and then you end.
It is just it's an amazingtime.
I love that run.
I do it every year.
Pete Siberell (15:53):
Yeah, it's a great community event.
I as you're right, I s I standthere at on Baldwin at Gate 7
when people coming back from theArboretum, I get to see every
single person, um, which isreally cool for me.
And the people we a lot ofrepeats, we get the city council
coming out from our city ofArcadia.
And um, I we we uh also have acompetition.
Dominic Lazaretto, the citymanager, puts on a competition
(16:16):
for city staff.
So department by department,there's a there's a competition
with each other, and there'salways a annual trophy that's
given out at a city councilmeeting to the fastest uh
department.
So it's pretty cool to um notonly have that community aspect
to it, but to be you knowpromoting um fitness um and
(16:36):
healthy lifestyles.
Um and I should uh throw out acouple of shout-outs to major
sponsors.
One is USCR Kadia Hospital,who's been with us some from day
one.
They've been fantastic to workwith, and again, that fits into
what that's what that event'sall about.
And then the shops at SantaAnita have have been um there
for us every year as well as agreat sponsor.
(16:58):
We do the pre-registration uhevent packet pickup the day
before at the mall each year.
Christine Zito (17:05):
So And not only that, wait, there's more if you
come after the race.
You got this whole carnival,you got booths.
Pete Siberell (17:12):
Yes.
Christine Zito (17:13):
And it's just you know what, it's just a lot
of you have beer, you can getit.
Pete Siberell (17:17):
Yes.
But yes, so we've in kind of intandem uh put on a carnival the
same weekend, which reallyworks out well for a lot of the
families.
There's a kids run, um,depending on the age, whether
it's all the way around the thetraining track or just part way
down it, but a lot of those kidsjump right into all the to the
carnival rides after the race.
Christine Zito (17:35):
I know.
See, we're just I now I can'twait.
It's gonna it's is it alwaysthe first Saturday, second
Saturday?
Pete Siberell (17:41):
It's well, the the San Diego Derby is always
four weeks prior to the KentuckyDerby, and the Kentucky Derby
is always the first Saturday inMay.
So I think it's like Saturdaythe third or the fourth of
April.
Christine Zito (17:53):
Yeah, it's always right around, and that's
no fooling.
Pete Siberell (17:56):
I get it.
Christine Zito (17:57):
I just have to say.
Okay.
All right, let's uh let's talkabout sometimes you know, you
get these people that uh allright, I'm just gonna say it
like it is, all these animalrights and the things that you
went through.
I think it was before COVID andall this stuff that was
happening with the horses.
How do how do you and the parkhandle that type of controversy
(18:18):
where they stand out and havethese awful signs and uh it was
a rough stretch for us.
Pete Siberell (18:25):
Um the a lot of that is well, all of pretty much
all of it is is basically goneaway um because we have I think
we under we understood thatthere were had to be some
changes made to the way horseswere uh supervised and uh and
(18:45):
and looked at before they wentout out on the racetrack.
And in the old days, we feltthat maybe the trainers knew
best what their horses uh coulddo and could not do on the track
and found that maybe we shouldbe a little more look a little
more closely and have moreoversight of of every horse that
goes out on the track.
And we invested heavily inimaging machines on the uh on
(19:08):
the backside in the equinehospital, more vet checks, more
records, and as it turns out, umas painful as it was, um, we
really turned the corner on umuh uh horse injuries,
fatalities, um, where to wherenow we're one of the safest
racetracks in the country.
Um and we I read something theother day where there are
(19:31):
375,000 training sessions on thetrack um every year.
So we're we're something like99% um percent safety record.
Um that is great.
So it's we've really it's beenan amazing turnaround and uh
we're pretty proud of it.
Christine Zito (19:48):
I think that I I I think that the
congratulations.
I'm just gonna do it like that.
I you know, I'm gonna say this.
My grand my grandpa, he was amaintenance man there.
And he retired at the San AnitaPark.
And he used to tell me how wellyou guys took care of the
horses, and you know, you alwaysyou always have a bad seed, you
always got uh someone whodoesn't really uh the owners and
(20:11):
those that with the horses.
So for me, you know, knowingall of that, I know that the
Santa Nata Park does its bestfor the health of the horses,
the track, and the people.
Yeah, you know, so I think thatthat's I give you kudos for uh
thank you.
Pete Siberell (20:28):
Yeah, safety is number one for us.
Christine Zito (20:31):
So okay.
I think everybody's beenwaiting for this because I have
been waiting for this part, andthat is something very big is
gonna be happening in 2028.
Does anybody know?
Anybody know?
Okay, we all know.
The Olympics is coming to LosAngeles, and the Santa Anita
Park has been chosen, I have ithere, and uh has been chosen to
(20:54):
host team and individualcompetitions and in uh jumping,
dresses, and inventing.
I have no idea what any ofthose are, but that's what it
says.
Okay.
How do you win something likethis, if that uh is the case?
Because I know another city isnot really happy about it.
Pete Siberell (21:15):
Right.
Well, this is yeah, this hasevolved.
The decision to host theequestrian games for the 28 um
has evolved um from I thinkfirst Hansen Dam in the valley
and then uh uh certainly calledGalway Downs in Temecula.
Promotional Video (21:32):
Yeah.
Pete Siberell (21:33):
Um and then I think was probably six weeks ago
or so announced it was actuallycoming to Santa Anita instead.
Um I a lot of it was becausethey wanted to make it closer to
the core of LA.
Um secondly to return to someiconic um uh structures, venues
(21:56):
that were here in '84 when welast hosted it, and see, you
know, can you do it?
Can that facility handle uh therequirements of of hosting an
Olympics event?
And we um uh we showed thatlast November.
We had two and two wakeweekends, um back-to-back
weekends November.
(22:16):
We hosted a two world-class uminternational equestrian um uh
events in the infield.
We constructed three showarenas where they could do the
dressage and and the showjumping.
Christine Zito (22:30):
Um and then dressage, I suppose.
Pete Siberell (22:32):
Dressage, yes.
And then the third part of thatis a cross country course, um,
which w will tie into our ourcurrent uh downhill uh turf
course, but we've got some workto do to make that happen.
Christine Zito (22:47):
Cross country.
That's like a long run.
Pete Siberell (22:50):
It's a long run, yeah.
If you look back in last year,well 24 was in Vers at
Versailles, where all theequestrian um events were held,
um just some gorgeous um footageof those cross-country courses
about three or four miles long,actually.
Um and it's it's gorgeous.
Um it's a beautiful sport withyou know, we have with jumps and
(23:14):
water features and that kind ofthing.
Um but that's something we haveto have done and in place by
July of 27 um because we have todo it have to do a test run for
the Olympic people a year priorto uh to op to when we open in
in uh 28.
Christine Zito (23:30):
The cross-countrying, which is known
as eventing, how long do youhappen to know?
Three to four miles.
Three to four miles.
Pete Siberell (23:36):
I've seen like 4,800 meters is the last one I
saw.
Christine Zito (23:39):
Yeah, because they're jumping, like you said,
they're doing uh skills, terrainwith obstacles.
Pete Siberell (23:47):
Right.
Yeah, all that, yeah.
It's um it's a majorcommitment, and then by the time
we're finished, um we will haveprobably the preeminent uh
equestrian facility, you know,in uh particularly obviously in
California, but even nationwide.
Christine Zito (24:03):
That is great.
Pete Siberell (24:04):
So whether it's racing or or these equestrian
events, this San Anita's theplace to go.
Christine Zito (24:10):
Um now this is not the first time the Olympics
have come to the Santa AnitaPark, am I correct?
Pete Siberell (24:17):
That's right.
Um so there's you know, 32everybody knows about um at the
Hook Coliseum, but 84 uh I'lltell the story.
I um 1984, I was dating a girldown from Pallas Verdes, which
is horse country down there,Rolling Hills area, and she
literally dragged me to SantaAnita um 1984 to come see the
(24:40):
Olympics held there, um,equestrian games, and I didn't
want to go, I had no idea abouthorses, didn't know anything
about Santa Anita.
Um I was kind of therereluctantly, but you know, they
pulled it off, did a wonderfuljob.
Right in it was sold right infront of the grandstand um on
the main track.
Um here this for 28 it will bein the infield on these show
(25:00):
arenas that we've built, alongalong with the um uh with the
cross-country course that'sthat's being constructed in the
North Lot.
Christine Zito (25:08):
Wow, I think that is just a great it's it is
exciting for the city ofArcadia, you know.
Um now I'm gonna give away alittle bit where I live.
I can walk.
I jog I jog by uh the um theracetrack.
So with the LA Olympics, do youhappen to know yet uh ticket
sales, scheduling, anything likethat yet, Pete?
Pete Siberell (25:29):
Very coming.
This is a really steep learningcurve for all of us.
I think we just got gotteninvolved the last couple months.
We've had a couple meetingswith the LA 28 people.
Um they're kind of runningaround their heads cut off
because they've got 25 venues tocover.
Um I don't have tickinformation on tickets yet.
I think we'll have something upon our website pretty soon.
Um I do know that we'llprobably have handle somewhere
(25:53):
between 20,000 and 40,000 peoplea day during the I think
there's six, seven days of ofevents happening at Santa Anita.
Then after that, actually, arethe Paralympics after the the LA
28 Olympics.
So we'll also have equestriangames for for uh uh pair
athletes as well.
Christine Zito (26:12):
Okay, so here's a my niece is into she loves
horses, so she rides horses, soshe competes, but she does okay,
and and you can you can emailme or Facebook me if I'm not
getting the terminology right oreven Pete can correct me.
She does barrel racing.
She wrote the horse run.
Do you are are you doing thatat the racetrack?
Pete Siberell (26:34):
Not in conjunction with the Olympics.
Um we are planning a rodeoevent.
I've been asked to you know toblock off the infield um for a
rodeo event, I think, in July.
Um and that would includebarrel racing and July of 2026.
Christine Zito (26:52):
I'm gonna get my niece involved.
Pete Siberell (26:54):
So again, that's something will be up on the
website on that, and I'll I'llcheck into that, give you more
information on that.
Christine Zito (26:58):
Wow, so many things.
We've got the Olympics, now wegot a rodeo.
Um now we we're in our we're inOctober.
Something special is comingChristmas.
Pete Siberell (27:09):
Yeah, yes.
Christine Zito (27:10):
I want to talk about that.
Um get your ice skating shoeson.
Pete Siberell (27:14):
I saw in the news the other day that like last
week they said they're hundreddays to Christmas.
So even less now.
Christine Zito (27:20):
Now I'm stressed.
Pete Siberell (27:21):
I me too.
Um so we were we started talkswith um these guys, there the
company's called Enchant.
And back in 2020 or so beforeCOVID, we were talking to them
about a major holiday light showevent, kind of a spectacular
event in the our South Parkinglot next to the next to the
(27:42):
shops at Santa Anita.
And COVID hit, and we had topush that off.
Um what these guys didoriginally, how they came about,
was starting to uh they weredecorating people's houses
during Christmas time, and thatbuilt into uh working with um
minor league baseball parks,which were not you know being
used any for anything during theholidays, to again uh create a
(28:07):
holiday lighting spectacularkind of show.
Um and they actually moved intothe Seattle to the Seattle
Mariners Stadium.
I flew up to see it and I've Iwas completely knocked off,
knocked off my feet with theirqu the quality of this event.
Um but it's it's gonna have youknow a meandering skate trail,
(28:28):
it's gonna have 80-footChristmas tree, it's gonna have
um snow hills, um booths, foodand drink, you know, for the
holidays.
Um and everything now,Christine, is like you know, is
take everybody taking pictures.
So this is just perfect fortaking pictures.
Christine Zito (28:46):
Is Santa gonna show up?
Pete Siberell (28:47):
Santa will be there uh uh multiple Santa's,
I'm sure.
Um but this is the first timethat they've built something
from ground up.
This basic and so that's whyI'm kind of intrigued to see
what what it's how it's gonnalook how it's gonna look not
only from inside but alsooutside out on Huntington and
elsewhere.
Christine Zito (29:08):
Is there gonna be an ice skating trail?
Pete Siberell (29:10):
Yeah, and it's well it's it's in Seattle, and I
think the same kind of thingthey want to do here is
basically a meandering skatetrail, just kind of a round
loop.
You can take and it's really Imean it's the mood is fantastic.
Christine Zito (29:24):
That's cool.
So they get to ice skate aroundthe whole event and be oh wow,
it's almost like taking a trainride.
Pete Siberell (29:29):
Yeah, and then there's some kind of um what do
you call them?
Scavenger hunt, apparently theybuilt into this into this event
as well.
So it's really how to iceskate.
I'm sure they can help you withI don't put it.
Christine Zito (29:42):
I roller skated a lot, but I don't have to be.
Pete Siberell (29:46):
I don't I don't know how they're gonna do that.
Christine Zito (29:48):
Oh my god.
Pete Siberell (29:49):
But it sounds it's gonna be great.
I mean they start moving in themiddle of October, and first
performances will be at themiddle of November, and they'll
they'll uh go through Christmas.
Christine Zito (29:58):
That is Well, uh there's so many things I you
you'll have to come back and Ido thank you for even sponsoring
Arcadia FYI.
Our pleasure doing great work.
I think it's great.
Um Is there anything else thatyou would like?
I know you have so many uh therace is open the day after
Christmas.
Pete Siberell (30:18):
Yes.
Christine Zito (30:19):
So we have the the Christmas what is that
called?
I know you just said it, theChristmas um event that's
happening.
Pete Siberell (30:25):
Enchant.
Christine Zito (30:26):
Enchant.
Pete Siberell (30:27):
So we'll start our autumn meet we'll go through
s October 26th.
Um not so sure when this airwhen this show airs, but um
we'll take a break, then we'llstart the day after Christmas,
and then as I say, go throughthe middle of June.
Christine Zito (30:42):
Do you have any do you do you ever do things on
New Year's Eve to open up thenew year?
Um I know we have the RoseParade coming.
Pete Siberell (30:50):
Yeah, we we do actually we do some number of
events with with the Tournamentof Roses, depending on it's a
lot of it is up to the presidentat the time, where they do
parties at their discretion atvarious venues, but we've been
lucky enough to host a lot ofthe Tournament of Roses events
uh at Santa Anita.
Um in terms of you know uhfireworks and New Year's Eve,
(31:14):
that doesn't work with horses onthe ground.
So so we we avoid that kind ofthing.
Christine Zito (31:19):
When is the Breeders' Cup coming back?
Pete Siberell (31:21):
Don't know.
Um hasn't nothing's beenannounced yet.
Um Delmar will um it'll be atthis year's Breeders' Cup will
be at Del Mar at the end of uhOctober.
And then next year we'll be atKeeneland in Kentucky, in
Lexington, Kentucky.
Year after that we'll be atBelmont Park, which is
completely being renovated uh inNew York um as a racetrack.
(31:46):
So they'll be opening andhosting the Breeders' Cups.
Christine Zito (31:49):
And that's in 2028.
Pete Siberell (31:51):
That puts us into 2029, 27.
Christine Zito (31:53):
Is it 2027?
Yeah, 2027, honestly.
Pete Siberell (31:56):
And then so we're hopefully uh uh back on the
rotation in 28 to come back tothe West Coast, we're hoping,
but nothing's been announced.
We'd love to have it back.
Christine Zito (32:03):
I know.
I have to say I I volunteeredat that Breeders' Cup, and it
was one of the best events thatI got to volunteer in.
Pete Siberell (32:10):
And thank you for your for your help on that.
Christine Zito (32:11):
It's been a great I still have my shirt, I
still have everything that wasit was great.
Pete Siberell (32:15):
So And we'll and also speaking of volunteering,
uh I'm sure I'll be involvedsomehow um with the volunteer um
portion of the Olympics.
Um recruiting people.
Um obviously Breeders Cupvolunteers will be right number
one on the list to to becontacted uh to help to help
with this with with theOlympics.
Christine Zito (32:35):
So all tickets and everybody that wants to buy
tickets, whether it be in thesuites and the boxes, it's all
on your website.
Pete Siberell (32:44):
Uh at least some preliminary information what to
expect.
Christine Zito (32:47):
But they can always go, oh, I before we go, I
ha Clocker's Corner.
Okay.
I know that sometimes I like togo, it's so relaxing.
On Saturday mornings, I get upand I go and I just sit and I
just watch the horses, they'rethey're training and running.
Pete Siberell (33:02):
Yes.
So yeah, horses are on thetrack from 4 45 in the morning
till 10 in the morning everyday.
So encourage people, and it'sfree to go down and see the
horses train.
Um it's a great spot,particularly on weekends.
We get a lot of people in andbreak have breakfast, watch the
horses, um, have a cup ofcoffee.
Um Rosie Um Ibarra is downthere.
(33:24):
She's she's a mainstay down inthe kitchen.
She'll take care of you interms of breakfast.
Promotional Video (33:28):
Breakfast burritos, and then there you go.
Pete Siberell (33:30):
And then we have um we'll have tram tours on
check the website, but I thinkat least on Saturdays, if not
Sundays, we have uh tram leavingClocker's Corner that takes uh
people through the backside andthen over into the paddock to
see the Jock's room and theSilk's room, and it's a really
cool experience for people.
Christine Zito (33:50):
See all these things that I didn't even know
that were going on at the SantaAnita Park.
Thank you so much, Pete, forcoming in and sharing with us.
And you will definitely becoming back as the Olympics get
closer.
And everything that we talkedabout will be on arcadiafyi
uh.com.
All the the websites and anyinformation that comes up, I'll
(34:11):
I will help in um informing youon everything that happens at
the San Anita Park.
Thank you so much.
Pete Siberell (34:18):
Thanks, Christina.
I really appreciate you gettingthe word out about uh about
about us and everything elsegoing on in Arcadia.
Christine Zito (34:23):
Yeah, it is see, uh weren't you?
I was you always learnsomething about the city of
Arcadia, especially iconicplaces like the San Anita Park
because we're so familiar withit and yet we don't really know
what goes on inside.
And you gotta go to the frontrunner restaurant, their food is
delicious.
Crab cakes.
Yeah, oh they are justeverything uh you just gotta go.
(34:46):
You just you and well let meask you this can people come in?
Um the gates open, and peoplecan just go in and uh they can
go upstairs, they can go to thefront runner, all of that's open
to the public.
Pete Siberell (34:59):
I mean, people don't have a reservation if
you're gonna use you know, eatin front runner or soaps
restaurants.
Christine Zito (35:06):
And they they have a gift store.
It's just there's so much.
Uh Sea Biscuit is in thepaddock right there in the
center.
I mean, there's just so much tosee at the San Anita Park.
I just want to thank oursponsors once again, Longo
Toyota in El Monte.
Gotta stop by, check out uh thecars.
(35:26):
They do more than just sellcars on that 1500-acre lot.
Star 7 Financial with FrancineChiu, the San Anita Park, who
you just heard from Pete,the Le Méridien Hotel in Arcadia
and Pasadena.
Until next time, just make it agreat and be blessed!
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