Tips/Thoughts on Breeders' Cup tickets this year?

westcoastinvader · #1 09-09-2008, 08:23 PM

Just looking at the calendar and logistics and realizing getting to Santa Anita for the Breeders' Cup is a realistic possibility. It would be my first time at Santa Anita, and it would be my first Breeders' Cup.

Initial search shows tickets went on sale with pre-registration in May.

Any ideas on how easy or difficult it might be to still get into the place for the Saturday card with "standing room only" a very acceptable option?

I'll dig further in a bit, but thought someone here might might have some quick thoughts. Thanks in advance!

Kasept · #2 09-09-2008, 08:34 PM

As of 10-14 days ago, there were a couple of thousand seats still available. BCL had held some back and then released them. Check the Cup website to see current status..

westcoastinvader · #3 09-09-2008, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kasept

As of 10-14 days ago, there were a couple of thousand seats still available. BCL had held some back and then released them. Check the Cup website to see current status..

Thanks! I've dug a bit further and found pricing....which seems to initially indicate one must buy tickets for both days. For the lower prices that would be fine in this case, though I think I would only be able to be there for Saturday.

Usually at the big races I never sit anyhow. I wander from the best available standing view of the the paddock, to the best available view of trackside starting gate or finish line, and the Winner's Circle.

(come to think of it, that's what I do most any day of attending races.....)

I'm see General Admission at Santa Anita allows paddock viewing, so I guess the trackside ground level viewing is a given?

It has been that way at any other track I've ever attended.

Revidere · #4 09-11-2008, 05:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by westcoastinvader

Thanks! I've dug a bit further and found pricing....which seems to initially indicate one must buy tickets for both days. For the lower prices that would be fine in this case, though I think I would only be able to be there for Saturday.

Usually at the big races I never sit anyhow. I wander from the best available standing view of the the paddock, to the best available view of trackside starting gate or finish line, and the Winner's Circle.

(come to think of it, that's what I do most any day of attending races.....)

I'm see General Admission at Santa Anita allows paddock viewing, so I guess the trackside ground level viewing is a given?

It has been that way at any other track I've ever attended.

I've been to all three BC's at Santa Anita. Its best to roam around. Unless it's changed, General Admission is the way to go. You can go from paddock to apron easily.

10 pnt move up · #5 09-11-2008, 09:00 AM

Cant you just by the second day on a site like Stubhub or Razorgator? I have a feeling they wont even bring face value.

westcoastinvader · #6 09-11-2008, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Revidere

I've been to all three BC's at Santa Anita. Its best to roam around. Unless it's changed, General Admission is the way to go. You can go from paddock to apron easily.

Thanks Revidere. That's what I was hoping to hear.

I think General Admission is only $20 per day....quite reasonable compared to the triple digit prices on most of the seats.

Revidere · #7 09-11-2008, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by westcoastinvader

Thanks Revidere. That's what I was hoping to hear.

I think General Admission is only $20 per day....quite reasonable compared to the triple digit prices on most of the seats.

Anytime. If you dont mind being in midstretch you can even walk right up to the rail.

GBBob · #8 09-12-2008, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Revidere

I've been to all three BC's at Santa Anita. Its best to roam around. Unless it's changed, General Admission is the way to go. You can go from paddock to apron easily.

Absolutely...and I've never paid above face for a BC ticket the day of the race outside, and often below

smuthg · #9 10-09-2008, 08:44 AM

Is he going to run at Santa Anita prior to the Breeder's Cup? I realize we're only two weeks out, so I'm assuming that he's not...

#10 10-09-2008, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smuthg

Is he going to run at Santa Anita prior to the Breeder's Cup? I realize we're only two weeks out, so I'm assuming that he's not...

...

lemoncrush · #11 10-09-2008, 09:15 AM

In the Stable notes from the Oaktree website, it said that he may train up to the classic.

Earlier, he was supposed to go in an allowance race this week or this weekend, but unless it's Sunday, that isn't going to happen.

zippyneedsawin · #12 10-09-2008, 10:24 AM

HRTV reported earlier this month that he would run in an allowance race on Oct. 12 at Oak Tree. I have no idea if that's still true.

SniperSB23 · #13 10-09-2008, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zippyneedsawin

HRTV reported earlier this month that he would run in an allowance race on Oct. 12 at Oak Tree. I have no idea if that's still true.

They said they are training up to the Classic now.

docicu3 · #14 10-11-2008, 01:17 PM

Just when you were convinced that perhaps the BC was actually concerned with fans being able to watch the races and follow the position of horses during a race.........THE DREADED PURPLE SADDLE CLOTHS ARE BACK.

In another display of exactly how much disdain there remains for players as reported Friday on ATR with Byk, Rick Hammerle again belatedly made public the intentions of the BC to again 1) refuse to use colored sadlle cloths or 2) pay for state of the art Trakus as is used currently at KE and Del Mar.

Once again the races will be impossible to watch becuase you cannot distinguish one horse from another as is the case in virtually every track in the country.

"I used to get disgusted but now I try and stay amused".....

letswastemoney · #15 10-11-2008, 01:25 PM

They really aren't that bad....no one is going to mistake Zenyatta for Hystericalady. You know most of these horses.

And if it's near the finish line and your horse isn't one of the first 4 or so that you can see clearly, you've probably lost all hope anyway.

ateamstupid · #16 10-11-2008, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by letswastemoney

They really aren't that bad....no one is going to mistake Zenyatta for Hystericalady. You know most of these horses.

And if it's near the finish line and your horse isn't one of the first 4 or so that you can see clearly, you've probably lost all hope anyway.

There's no reason to have them all the same color. Sorry if I'd like to know where my horses are before the finish line.

Scurlogue Champ · #17 10-11-2008, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

There's no reason to have them all the same color. Sorry if I'd like to know where my horses are before the finish line.

Look at the silks of your horse, those kind of help.

ateamstupid · #18 10-11-2008, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scurlogue Champ

Look at the silks of your horse, those kind of help.

Want to lend me some binoculars? What if I have multiple horses in the race? It's a little annoying to have to try to ferret out the silks of 3-4 horses and then attempt to follow them all, whereas with Trakus or colored saddlecloths, I could see right away where everyone was.

Bigsmc · #19 10-11-2008, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scurlogue Champ

Look at the silks of your horse, those kind of help.

Didn't work last year. All the silks were brown.

RolloTomasi · #20 10-11-2008, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by letswastemoney

They really aren't that bad....no one is going to mistake Zenyatta for Hystericalady. You know most of these horses.

Horses? Who said anything about horses?

We're trying to watch colored squares here.

Horse racing has finally been distilled to a live-action version of super lotto. They just substituted some beasts of burden on a dirt track for the wind machine that blows the balls around in the plastic bin.