Golden Gate Fields set to close down in fall

In another blow to the Bay Area sporting scene, Golden Gate Fields will permanently close at the end of the season in December.

The closure of the Albanybased horse track, which opened in 1941, will leave Northern California without a major track. Bay Meadows, the San Mateo-based track that opened in 1934, closed in 2008.

Like the Raiders and presumably the A's, horseracing in the Bay Area will exist only in history.

The Stronach Group, which owns Golden Gate Fields, said Sunday it will “double down” on its racing at Santa Anita and training at San Luis Rey Downs.

“We believe that the future of success of racing depends on a business model that encourages investment in Southern California, one of North America's premier racing circuits,” said Belinda Stronach, chief executive and president of the group that has owned the track since 2011.

Golden Gate has come under scrutiny from animal-rights activists lately, although it's not likely that it played a role in this decision.

Earlier this month, the Berkeley City Council proposed an ordinance that would guide the maximum number of hours a horse could be in a stall and mandate a minimum amount of pasture space. The ordinance was aimed squarely at horse racing and excluded horse rescue and adoption organizations.

It's unclear what will happen to the land that straddles Albany and Berkeley, but one possibility is that it could become either a state park or an open green space. Other possibilities have not been ruled out.

Among the horses that competed at Golden Gate Fields was 1948 Triple Crown winner Citation, John Henry, Shared Belief, and come-from-behind specialist Silky Sullivan, who is buried in the track's infield.

The track was immortalized in book and movie form. In Jack Kerouac's 1957 novel “On the Road,” Sal Paradise visits the track with his friend, who loses all their money.

In the 1997 movie “Metro” starring Eddie Murphy, his character visits the track to gamble and blames jockey Russell Baze for losing his money.

Baze, the retired Hall of Famer, won his 10,000th career race at Golden Gate Fields in 2008. He earned 54 riding titles and won 5,765 races there during his career.

The track has meets scheduled for Aug. 23-Oct. 3 and Oct. 18-Dec. 19.

After the second meet ends, The Stronach Group said it will focus on moving horses from the Bay Area to Arcadia, with a goal of increasing field sizes and adding a fourth day of racing to the weekly schedule at Santa Anita beginning in January.

The California fair circuit, which includes Pleasanton, Ferndale, Fresno, Sacramento and Santa Rosa, will be making a strong pitch to keep the horses in the north.

“Five years ago [when it was rumored Golden Gate was going to be sold], we put together a 12-month calendar that will make Sacramento its 12-month base,” said Larry Swartzlander, executive director of the California Authority of Racing Fairs. “We probably wouldn't race in January and February and just shut down after the holidays but will race the rest of the year.”

Stronach conceded the decision to close GGF will be a hardship for many in Northern California, including some employees who have worked at the track for almost half-century.

“The Stronach Group is committed to honoring labor obligations and developing a meaningful transition plan.” Stronach said.

The company said it would work with industry groups in California, as well as Los Alamitos racetrack in Orange County and Del Mar north of San Diego in relocating horses and employees to Southern California.

The move was not met with universal praise, especially from the California Thoroughbred Trainers (CTT).

“We can only say that we would have hoped those responsible for such a decision had taken their own contractual obligation for fairness, inclusion, communication, and honesty, as seriously as we have,” said Alan F. Balch, executive director of the CTT.

“The ramifications of this Stronach decision will be far-reaching and long-lasting.”

Scott Chaney, executive director of the California Horse Racing Board, noted that Golden Gate Fields has been racing nine months out of the year and the board will discuss allocating those racing dates in August for 2024.

“I am acutely aware of the human impact of the closure — be they CHRB employees, CHRB contractors, licensees, and, of course, Golden Gate employees — and I will be working hard to ameliorate any negative consequences and to create job and role opportunities,” Chaney said.