Santa Anita to Host Equestrian Arm of 2028 Olympics

[Wandering Eyes]

The equestrian portion of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics will be conducted at Santa Anita Park.

The decision brings a sense of continuity to the Olympics, as the track also hosted the equestrian disciplines when the event was last in Los Angeles, in 1984. The decision also caught many off guard.

The Los Angeles City Council voted in March to approve the sprawling Galway Downs equestrian facility, nearly 100 miles south of LA, as the appropriate venue.

But according to the LA Times, Galway Downs was taken out of consideration a day after LA28, the organizing committee for the games, received approval for its master plan by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in a closed-door session on April 9.

The announcement about Santa Anita came as part of broader unveiling Tuesday of different venues for the various sporting disciplines.

“The 2028 Olympics will be held July 14-30, at a time when Santa Anita Park is traditionally closed for racing and training,” said Nate Newby, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Santa Anita, when asked about possible disruptions to the regular horse population. “Our goal as we work with the LA28 team over the coming months and years is to minimize any potential disruption to racing operations while maximizing exposure for Santa Anita Park.”

“The return of the Summer Olympic Games in 2028 represents a thrilling and prestigious moment, underscoring Santa Anita Park's versatility as a world-class sport and entertainment venue, and as a vital pillar of Southern California's horse sport culture,” Newby continued. “We are excited by the opportunity to again showcase SAP on a global scale. We will be able to share more details as event plans are finalized.”

“The 2028 Olympic venue plan invites communities from across the region to celebrate the Games coming to their backyard with the most exciting sports staged at some of the world's top-tier existing stadiums and arenas, famous beaches and purpose-built temporary structures,” said LA28 chief executive officer Reynold Hoover, in a statement.

“As we come together to prepare, we will help small businesses, create local jobs and implement lasting environmental and transportation improvements that will leave a legacy in our city for generations to come,” said LA City Mayor Karen Bass.

 

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