Breeders’ to drop prices

Last year’s Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita was considered among the best in the 25 years of that major event in horse racing. Now organizers say they will attempt to make this year’s event, Nov. 6 and 7 and back at Santa Anita, even better with reduced ticket prices across the board.

Last year’s Breeders’ Cup, which drew 31,000 fans on Friday and 51,000 Saturday, had a top ticket price of $1,250 for two days, and most of the tickets were available only in two-day packages. Last year’s general admission was $20 for each day.

Peter Land, chief marketing officer for the Breeders’ Cup, said the top price will drop to $950 and tickets at that price and others along a scale will be available for single-day purchase, rather than in the two-day bundle. He also said that by the time this program is open to the public June 5, Breeders’ Cup officials will have established and announced a general admission price lower than last year’s $20.

Land said last year’s top-priced tickets included food and beverage. This year’s will not.

Land also said that the lowest-priced grandstand seat, when purchased for both days per the rules last year, was $200. This year, he said, those tickets may be bought on a single-day basis and will go for $40 on Friday and $55 Saturday.

He also said that another highlight of the new ticket plan will be a first-ever Breeders’ Cup online system, modeled after one used successfully in recent years at Del Mar. “You’ll be able to go online, look at seats available and even get a view from that seat to the finish line,” Land said. “In the past, we did all our ticketing through a paper application form.”

Land said that Breeders’ Cup nominators -- people with horses in the races -- will get first shot at tickets starting next Friday, followed by the June 5 availability to the general public.

-- Bill Dwyre