Santa Anita again will offer 'ship & win' program

Santa Anita Park said its highly successful “ship and win” program, which has attracted significant numbers of out-of-state horses to Southern California over the last two years, will again be offered at the track’s 18-day autumn meet, which opens on Friday, Sept. 30.

With a $5,000 bonus for any eligible horse making his or her first start and a 35 percent bonus, excluding stakes races, also available, the Ship & Win program, in conjunction with the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, has proven highly popular.

“Ship-and-win has proven to be a very effective catalyst in attracting new equine talent, and we’re very hopeful that many horsemen will opt to stay in Southern California following Del Mar and to participate in this lucrative program here at our autumn meet,” said Chris Merz, Santa Anita director of racing and racing secretary.

Horses that currently qualify for Del Mar’s summer ship-and-win program will retain eligibility for one start at Santa Anita, providing they do not start at any other track between the conclusion of Del Mar’s summer meet Sept. 11 and the beginning of Santa Anita’s Autumn Meet.

For a specific horse to be eligible for program bonuses, it must have made its most recent start outside of California and not have started in the Golden State within the past 12 months.