Santa Anita Opening Day 2025 Draws Massive Crowd, Handle, and Thrilling Performances
Although delayed from the traditional opening day, which is normally held December 26—the day after Christmas—weather did not cooperate, as Southern California was hit with heavy rains. This forced Santa Anita Park officials to make the judgment call to postpone, thereby moving opening day to the 28th, and it ended up being well worth the wait.
Photo Credit: Nancy Wilkinson
Photo Credit: Nancy Wilkinson
On hand was a crowd of 41,962, marking the largest opening day since 2016. This marked the eighth time in the 90-plus-year history of The Great Race Place that opening day fell on a Sunday. The weather was picture-perfect, and the day brought out both racing fans and horseplayers, with a reported handle of $18.2 million.
Also on hand were colorful cosplay participants in association with Cygames, which has become involved in horse racing through sponsorships. Cygames is a Japanese-based company blending digital entertainment with competitive sports and served as the main sponsor of the Grade I American Oaks.
From a racing standpoint, outside of the Grade I Malibu Stakes, one of the most anticipated races on the card was the Grade II Laffit Pincay Jr. Stakes, with the man himself on hand to present the trophy. Laffit, still seemingly in tip-top shape at 79, looked like he could still get a leg up and ride.
One of the most exciting races of the day saw the beautifully bred Nysos follow up his win in the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, holding off stablemate Nevada Beach, who also turned in a superb performance.
Nysos and Nevada Beach Photo Finish
Photo Credit: Nancy Wilkinson
Although Nysos broke slightly flat-footed, he recovered quickly and began tracking the pace-setter Vodka Vodka. Nysos hugged the rail while Nevada Beach raced to the outside. As they turned for home, both horses put away Barthadly and were eyeball-to-eyeball at the top of the stretch. For a brief moment, Nevada Beach took the lead, but Nysos wasn’t having any of it. You could tell by the way he pinned his ears and said, “Not today.” Nysos dug in and got the job done by a head at the wire. The next stop for both could very well be the Saudi Cup.
The Grade I La Brea Stakes saw a dominant performance from Usha, who won going away by 5¼ lengths. She settled mid-pack behind stablemate and front-runner Silent Law, along with Artisma, before making a decisive move at the top of the stretch. She finished well clear of Formula Rossa in second and Simply Joking in third.
The Grade I Malibu Stakes also lived up to the billing, as Goal Oriented captured his first Grade I victory. Racing with blinkers off, he went to the gate as the favorite. The race saw two major scratches—Barnes and Cornucopian—leaving a field of eight. Even with the defections, the race still shaped up as one of epic proportions.
Malibu Stakes Winner: Goal Oriented
Photo Credit: Nancy Wilkinson
It nearly resulted in a Bob Baffert trifecta, but Phil D’Amato played spoiler as Speedy Wilson rallied to take third, finishing ahead of Madaket Road in fourth. Midland Money ran a strong race to finish second.
Background: Opening Day at Santa Anita
Santa Anita Park, known as The Great Race Place, has been a cornerstone of West Coast racing since opening in 1934. Opening Day traditionally signals the start of the winter-spring meet and is one of the most anticipated dates on the California racing calendar, combining elite racing, fashion, and strong wagering interest. Sundays are rare for opening day, making the December 28, 2025, edition both historically significant and memorable.
