Insider tips: Expert's top 5 Breeders' Cup 2019 ticket options
With Breeders' Cup only a few weeks away, we spoke to Breeders' Cup Senior Vice President of Marketing Justin McDonald for some tips on top options still left for 2019 Breeders' Cup tickets at Santa Anita.
1) Trackside Dining
"One of the best new spots this year is Trackside Dining which is on the clubhouse apron right up near the rail. It's going to be an amazing place to watch the Championships, just past the finish line," McDonald said. "There are a few tables left in there, but we expect them to sell out in the next few weeks."
The Frontrunner Restaurant gets its name for a reason. Located on the 5th floor, directly by the finish line, these seats put you at the center of every victory. A glassed-in and climate-controlled dining experience will feature special prix-fixe menus from acclaimed chefs.
"Some tables are still available in Rows 4&5 and it's a great space to look out over the whole track while enjoying good food and drinks," McDonald noted.
"Friday’s menu will feature
Italian specialties from Chef Nancy Silverton of LA’s Mozza Restaurant
Group, and founder of world-renowned La Brea Bakery and
Campanile Restaurant."
"Saturday will feature a menu of specialties and an
appearance from Chefs Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo, two of LA’s most
influential chefs who own Animal, Jon & Vinny’s, Son of a Gun and
more.Some tables left in Rows 4&5 and a great space to see the whole track and enjoy good food and drinks."
Frontrunner restaurant tickets are sold as a two-day package and are still available.
FrontRunner Bar
The Frontrunner Restaurant’s 220-foot serpentine bar provides a 5th-floor vantage point and glassed-in seating for scenic views of the racetrack and San Gabriel Mountains.
Frontrunner Bar tickets are still available for Friday.
3) Sironas Paddock View Dining
"Sirona's is a great dining area overlooking the paddock where you can see the best horses in the world getting ready for their Championship races," McDonald said.
Sirona’s tickets are sold as a two-day package for Friday's and Saturday's Breeders' Cup races.
4) Trackside Marquee for Future Stars Friday
"Friday is the perfect day to see the sport's future stars as the Breeders' Cup card features all two-year-old races and the TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile will likely produce the early Derby favorite for next year," McDonald said.
"Trackside Marquee has seats available for Friday, and it’s an amazing temporary structure that we use all week for horsemen to watch their horses train in the morning. For the weekend we turn it into a high-end dining area for fans to enjoy and it provides the best views of the horses turning for home."
5) Grandstand Reserved seats
"There's nothing like sitting in the Grandstand at Santa Anita with the beautiful San Gabriel mountains staring back at you," McDonald said. "It's one of my favorite places to sit because it puts you right in the middle of the excitement all day long."
Located on the 3rd floor mezzanine level, these open-air, stadium-style seats offer some of the best views of the track. Grandstand ticketing extends from the 1/4th pole (top of the stretch) to the 1/16th pole (before the finish line). A giant video board is in place opposite these seats, so not a moment of the racing is missed.
Grandstand seats are available on both Friday and Saturday. You may purchase single seats.
Bonus: Friday - The View trackside
McDonald called this "our equivalent to courtside seats at a basketball game. We bring in couches, chairs, umbrellas for shade, private bars - and of course purple carpeting - to make this truly a one-of-a-kind experience for the sophisticated fan that wants to be down close to the track. The View is setup on the rail, right next to the winner's circle so you can literally feel and hear the horses run by the finish line."
*Please Note: There are no reserved seats in the The View. Seating is first-come, first-served.
The 36th Breeders’ Cup begins on Friday, Nov. 1, with Future Stars Friday, featuring all five Breeders’ Cup World Championships races for 2-year-olds comprising half of the 10-race program.
You can find the full Breeders' Cup 2019 ticket offering here.
Friday’s first Breeders’ Cup race will be Race 5, which will have a post time of 1:12 p.m. PT. The $2 million TVG Breeders’ Cup Juvenile will be the ninth race on the card, with a post time of 4:03 p.m. PT.
There will be 12 races on the Saturday, Nov. 2, program, featuring nine Breeders’ Cup World Championships races. The first Breeders’ Cup race will be Race 4, which will have a post time of 11:55 a.m. PT.
Post time for the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic, Race 12, will be 5:44 p.m. PT.