Juveniles star at fall meet

Christmas is still two months away, but Golden Gate Fields racing secretary Patrick Mackey is already humming “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.”

The Golden Gate Fields 32-day fall meet begins Thursday, and it will be crammed with goodies before the meet closes Dec. 10. The long winterspring meet begins Dec. 26.

“It’s a very exciting time,” Mackey said. “We’re finally done with fair racing, and people are returning here, so the barns are full.”

Eight stakes are scheduled for the fall meet, including four for 2-year-olds and the Grade 3, $100,000 Berkeley for 3-year-olds and up on the Tapeta.

The emphasis on 2-year-olds goes beyond the stakes schedule, with Mackey able to card maiden and allowance races for the developing juveniles.

“A lot of people have high hopes for their young horses,” Mackey said. “It’s a time when things start to quicken as they mature and look for spots.”

Two-year-old fillies are in the spotlight first with the $75,000 Pike Place Dancer, a one-mile turf stakes, starting the stakes schedule Oct. 28. The $75,000 Gold Rush Stakes at a mile Dec. 2 will set the soon-to-be 3-year-olds up for the California Derby and Grade 3 El Camino Real Derby.

The fall meet was a strong one last year, laying the foundation for the track’s winterspring meet, which showed a 3.4 percent increase in ontrack wagering this past season.

“We averaged 7.35 horses per race last fall,” Mackey said. “Our goal this year is to average eight. Field size is so important because it leads to bigger handles, which help because we need bigger purses.”

One reason for Mackey’s optimism is that trainer Anthony Stabile has moved 20 horses from Pennsylvania to California. Stabile entered five horses on opening day.

“His horses ran well on the Tapeta at Presque Isle Downs, so Golden Gate Fields with our Tapeta surface made sense for him,” Mackey said. “He has horses in all categories, from maidens to a handicap-type runner we could see in the Berkeley.”

Golden Gate runs Thursdays-Sundays during the fall meet, with post time of 12:45 p.m. Pacific on most days. First post on Nov. 3, the first day of the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar, is 12:05 p.m., and first post on Nov. 4, the second day of the Breeders’ Cup, is 11:40 a.m.

Mackey said he expects a good crowd for the Breeders’ Cup simulcasts and has a strong local card planned for Nov. 4 as well.