Report: Santa Anita will host 2028 Olympic equestrian events

After being passed over, Santa Anita reportedly has been chosen to replace the original site of the equestrian events for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Florida-based Dressage-News said Los Angeles organizing committee sources confirmed the change of venue Friday. The dressage, eventing and show-jumping competitions had been assigned to Temecula, Calif., in Riverside County, 70 miles southeast of Santa Anita.

There has been no announcement from the LA28, the Fédération Equestre Internationale or the Stronach Group’s 1/ST, which owns Santa Anita.

According to Ken Braddick, a longtime equestrian journalist who runs Dressage-News, the rejection of Galway Downs in Temecula “had been speculated for months because of the distance from Los Angeles, lack of hotels and other facilities and the likely requirement of millions of dollars to make the venue acceptable for the most high-profile event.”

Santa Anita hosted the 1984 Olympic equestrian events using its main grandstand and temporary seating surrounding the competition theater in the middle of the main track. A plaque and three flagpoles commemorating the venue’s role still stand next to Clocker’s Corner.

About 200 horses are expected to be housed in the Santa Anita stables during the Olympics, which will be held July 14-30, 2028. There should be room, since Santa Anita’s Thoroughbred season ends in June with races shifting to Los Alamitos and then Del Mar.