Champ in the House: Jose Arias left us too soon
Jose left us prematurely at the age of 45. He was a dedicated horseplayer of Santa Anita for his entire adult life, with his first visit dating back to when he was 15 years old. Jose was a familiar face in the Eddie Logan Suite, although he occasionally started elsewhere for the day, he always ended up at the Logan. Jose wasn’t prejudiced, he possessed an unbiased nature and would engage with the wealthiest individuals at the track. On any given race day, you could find him in any of the Suites, the Eddie Logan Suite, or even mingling with the 10 cent bettors in the Dungeon. He would always ask everyone he knew, regardless of the size of their wallet, "who do you like?" as he simply loved handicapping the races. Jose had a particular passion for participating in tournaments, which he began doing as early as the early 2000s at Fairplex Park in Pomona. He loved the $40 Santa Anita Contest, a format that involved $3 Win-Place bets on five races. He likely won more of those c