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It is the tip of an period for Northern California horse racing.
Golden Gate Fields will completely shut after its last racing date later this yr on the San Francisco Bay space horse observe.
The observe’s proprietor, The Stronach Group, stated Sunday it is going to “double down” on its racing at Santa Anita and coaching at San Luis Rey Downs in Southern California.
After the Golden Gate Fields meet ends, The Stronach Group stated it is going to concentrate on shifting horses from the Bay Space to Arcadia, with a aim of accelerating subject sizes and including a fourth day of racing to the weekly schedule at Santa Anita starting in January.
“The Stronach Group stays steadfastly dedicated to racing in California,” firm CEO and president Belinda Stronach stated in a press release.
“Specializing in Santa Anita Park and San Luis Rey Downs as state-of-the-art racing and coaching amenities that supply enhanced program high quality, elevated race days, expanded wagering alternatives, and premier hospitality and leisure experiences is significant to making sure that California racing can proceed to compete and thrive on a nationwide degree,” she stated.
Stronach stated the corporate realizes its choice to shut the Bay Space observe may have “profound results” on workers, homeowners, trainers, jockeys and secure employees there. She stated the corporate is dedicated to honoring labor obligations.
The corporate stated it will work with business teams in California, in addition to Los Alamitos racetrack in Orange County and Del Mar north of San Diego in relocating horses and workers to Southern California.
“The ramifications of this Stronach choice will probably be far-reaching and long-lasting,” Alan Balch, govt director of the California Thoroughbred Trainers, stated in a press release. “They may embody, we consider, an excellent many unintended and primarily detrimental penalties for all of racing and Thoroughbred breeding all through California and the West, together with in Southern California. We are able to solely hope that we’re solely incorrect.”
Scott Chaney, govt director of the California Horse Racing Board, famous that Golden Gate Fields has been racing 9 months out of the yr and the board will start discussing allocating these racing dates in August for 2024.
“I’m conscious about the human affect of the closure — be they CHRB workers, CHRB contractors, licensees, and, in fact, Golden Gate workers — and I will probably be working arduous to ameliorate any damaging penalties and to create job and position alternatives,” Chaney stated.
The Stronach Group bought the observe in 2011.
Golden Gate Fields, which straddles the cities of Albany and Berkeley alongside the shore of the San Francisco Bay, opened in 1941.
With the beginning of World Battle II, the US Navy took over the property for storage of touchdown craft that was for use within the Pacific theater. After the battle ended, racing returned to the location.
Among the many horses that competed at Golden Gate Fields was 1948 Triple Crown winner Quotation, John Henry, Shared Perception, and come-from-behind specialist Silky Sullivan, who’s buried within the observe’s infield.
The observe was immortalised in ebook and film type. In Jack Kerouac’s 1957 novel “On the Street,” Sal Paradise visits the observe together with his pal, who loses all their cash.
Within the 1997 film “Metro” starring Eddie Murphy, his character visits the observe to gamble and blames jockey Russell Baze for shedding his cash.
Retired Corridor of Famer Baze received his 10,000th profession race at Golden Gate Fields in 2008. He earned 54 driving titles and received 5,765 races there throughout his profession.
The closure will depart Northern California with out a main racetrack. Bay Meadows, which opened in 1934, shut down and was turned over to builders in 2008.
This story has been revealed from a wire company feed with out modifications to the textual content. Solely the headline has been modified.