David Milch, who is currently involved in shooting the HBO pilot “Luck” at Santa Anita Park, announced that he will donate $10,000 to the Arcadia Campership Program, which provides financial assistance to young people for recreational activities. Milch, jockey Mike Smith, and Carolyn Conley of HRTV were being honored at the Arcadia, Calif., annual Mayor’s Community Breakfast, held at Santa Anita’s FrontRunner Restaurant April 8.
A portion of the breakfast proceeds goes to the Campership Program, which is sponsored by the Arcadia Community Coordinating Council. Milch was delighted and surprised the more than 100 people in attendance when he announced his donation.
A Thoroughbred owner and enthusiastic bettor, Milch then quipped, “And I want you to know that if I get out at the end of the day only having given $10,000, that’s going to be the best day I’ve had in a while.”
Milch has written the script for “Luck,” which he is also producing and which stars Dustin Hoffman. Milch said that he hopes to make paid apprenticeships available with the show should it get picked up as a series and also give young people from Arcadia opportunities to be around the production.
At the breakfast, Milch followed Conley, who talked of Santa Anita and Arcadia’s history, and Smith, who spoke about the experience he is having aboard champion Zenyatta. Smith was to ride the card at Santa Anita that afternoon before traveling to Arkansas for the April 9 Apple Blossom Invitational (gr. I), Zenyatta’s next scheduled start. The jockey told the crowd he liked his chances in the day’s third and fourth races at Santa Anita.
Milch got a big laugh when he said, “I’m awfully glad to have had the chance to say hello to everyone and in particular to hear from Mike about the third and fourth races today.”