Breeders Cup charging $50 to park on Friday and $75 on Saturday

[LemonSoupKid]

I can't recall if it's better at SA to buy the tickets early or you can get better seats maybe later through craigslist, etc. Does anyone remember? Mostly the grandstand seats O and further up the homestretch are all that's left ...

Thanks

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by LemonSoupKid

I can't recall if it's better at SA to buy the tickets early or you can get better seats maybe later through craigslist, etc. Does anyone remember? Mostly the grandstand seats O and further up the homestretch are all that's left ...

Thanks

The Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita has not been close to a sellout the last few times it has been held. (Santa Anita can easily accommodate 80,000 fans, and the BC tends to draw about 50,000.) Also, a lot of people end up just hanging out in the infield or downstairs in the grandstand, because reserved seats are so expensive.

So unless you want to pick out specific seats or want to sit in one of the ritzy areas in the Turf Club or something, I would recommend just waiting and buying on the secondary market.

In contrast, when they hold it at Del Mar, buy reserved seats from the track.

[LemonSoupKid]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

The Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita has not been close to a sellout the last few times it has been held. (Santa Anita can easily accommodate 80,000 fans, and the BC tends to draw about 50,000.) Also, a lot of people end up just hanging out in the infield or downstairs in the grandstand, because reserved seats are so expensive.

So unless you want to pick out specific seats or want to sit in one of the ritzy areas in the Turf Club or something, I would recommend just waiting and buying on the secondary market.

In contrast, when they hold it at Del Mar, buy reserved seats from the track.

I think this is accurate. I may wait ... and I've done that a few times. Even at Del Mar (last time, and parking was totally worth it there). I agree in general about Del Mar though, which I've grown to like more and more after the first time I went, which was 2017, I believe.

[Fingal]

Originally Posted by Tom

Whales Only parking.

The game is no longer interested in the average players.
If it ever was.

The Friday is nothing but added garbage filler,
The Cup has jumped the shark.

Yes it has jumped the shark, it is nothing compared to what John Gaines drew up where the man or woman off the street could pay a nominal admission price & see the best horses in the world compete. And the purses would be supported by the breeding & nomination fees. Now it seems that the BC party is more & more to be subsidized by the little people, the core supporters. And I live a short walk from Santa Anita so I've been to each one for both days.

One of my friends casually mentioned the GA prices so I went to the SA website to confirm, & after picking the bugs out of my teeth I've already decided to pass on Friday. And this year even Saturday is open for debate. Another who has gone to every BC has said that he ended up with seats for him & his wife for the two days in section O for $800 plus an outlandish service charge.

And as another friend puts it, they don't want the unwashed (regular race goers) in attendance, evidently their idea is for us to stay home & bet through an ADW.

They want our money, just not us.

[horsefan2019]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

The Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita has not been close to a sellout the last few times it has been held. (Santa Anita can easily accommodate 80,000 fans, and the BC tends to draw about 50,000.) Also, a lot of people end up just hanging out in the infield or downstairs in the grandstand, because reserved seats are so expensive.

So unless you want to pick out specific seats or want to sit in one of the ritzy areas in the Turf Club or something, I would recommend just waiting and buying on the secondary market.

In contrast, when they hold it at Del Mar, buy reserved seats from the track.

Santa Anita was built for an audience of another era. Not even the Breeders Cup can fill the massive parking lot they have. I remember the eastern entrance on Huntington Drive next to the mall used to be open. It is now gated and sealed off.

[cj]

Originally Posted by horsefan2019

Santa Anita was built for an audience of another era. Not even the Breeders Cup can fill the massive parking lot they have. I remember the eastern entrance on Huntington Drive next to the mall used to be open. It is now gated and sealed off.

For not being able to fill it, it took forever to get out the last time I went in 2016. We couldn't move an inch for well over an hour.

[PalaceOfFortLarned]

Originally Posted by cj

For not being able to fill it, it took forever to get out the last time I went in 2016. We couldn't move an inch for well over an hour.

You didn't pay enough for your seats.

In and out like a Champ that year. Highland Reel was good. Tourist was great.

[RayT]

Originally Posted by cj

For not being able to fill it, it took forever to get out the last time I went in 2016. We couldn't move an inch for well over an hour.

I played in tourney that year. Took an Uber to Track Friday it was $7. To get back I was quoted like $15 waited for like 30 minutes the driver cancelled me and next quote was $90 bucks. Congestion pricing is a scam. Sat I found the bus from to the Hotel for the return trip...

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by cj

For not being able to fill it, it took forever to get out the last time I went in 2016. We couldn't move an inch for well over an hour.

Park just below the 7/8ths chute, which leads to an exit onto Huntington Drive, then make an immediate left. You'll be on the 210 freeway in 15 minutes, even on Breeders' Cup Day.

[LemonSoupKid]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

Park just below the 7/8ths chute, which leads to an exit onto Huntington Drive, then make an immediate left. You'll be on the 210 freeway in 15 minutes, even on Breeders' Cup Day.

Thanks for the tip.

What do you all think is a reasonable markup for buying reserved seats or box seats even? I'm holding out for those reasons. I laughed when I saw a guy selling a month or two ago for 2.5x - I'm like, "Dude, you just bought those". They happened to be in one of the closer boxes to the finish line.

[lamboguy]

if you happen to be staying at the host hotel, which is probably the Langham in Pasadena, they have a shuttle every 15 minutes and you don't pay for it back and forth, hotel to track, track to hotel

[cj]

Originally Posted by lamboguy

if you happen to be staying at the host hotel, which is probably the Langham in Pasadena, they have a shuttle every 15 minutes and you don't pay for it back and forth, hotel to track, track to hotel

Or just park there and sneak on the shuttle.

[ranchwest]

Originally Posted by cj

For not being able to fill it, it took forever to get out the last time I went in 2016. We couldn't move an inch for well over an hour.

When the Breeders Cup was at Lone Star, I got free parking and free shuttle service. I figured I'd be able to get out fast. I nearly ran out of gas (literally) getting to the lot because it was so far away (all of the close in lots were full and I had to go to the track first to figure out the closest open lot and traffic was congested on the small road where the lots were) and after the races it took 3 hours before my shuttle came to the track. Then I had to call for a ride to get gas before I could drive out.

That day was the biggest cluster #### I've ever seen at the races. One disaster after another. The mutuel clerks were clueless, too.

[bisket]

Originally Posted by cj

For not being able to fill it, it took forever to get out the last time I went in 2016. We couldn't move an inch for well over an hour.

I was at Santa Anita Breeders Cup in 2013. Lol I deal with an online car rental company that gives you a great deal. I get a gray Impala with no remote lock. Lol I go to the Thursday morning breakfast shack shindig and leave around 11 or 12. There must of been 3 Gray impalas in every row. It took 1/2 an hour to find my car. I didn’t run into any problems leaving that year.

[LemonSoupKid]

Anyone have extra seats? LOL (serious though)