Golden Gate Fields Gone?

[DerbyCat]

Things are not looking good for those of us that are fans of Northern California racing. We lost Bay Meadows this year and now the talk is about Golden Gate Fields being sold and perhaps even torn down (from the San Francisco Chronicle: LINK)

California thinks (hopes?) having OTB's will help, I'm beginning to think nothing short of slots can help us. The only positive thing I can see is that it took them 20 years to tear down Bay Meadows after they first started talking about it, hopefully it takes that long to do the same to GGF.

It's not easy being a horse racing fan in the Bay Area

[ALostTexan]

I made a trip to Golden Gate last summer, and it was a great time. I thought it was a very nice racetrack, and really enjoyed my time there.

Good luck in keeping it open...

[PSH]

I agree that shutting down GG Fields would be a very sad event.
Shutting down Bay Meadows was inevitable given the value of that land and the development that had already started that wiped out the training track and barns that were moved into the infield. Unfortunately, the land that GG Fields sits on is also quite valuable and there has been talk about developing that land. There also had been talk of opening a new track in Dixon, CA going up towards Sacramento but i have not heard anything about that.

One would hope that GG Fields will continue to exist for many years but hope is not a word that inspires much confidence.

PSH

[joeydb]

And they say Hollywood Park is in trouble too. What's left, only Santa Anita? Yet the California handle, especially in the Pick sixes, seems very strong??

[DerbyCat]

Right now the land that GGF sits on is zoned for recreation but I'm sure that could be changed. Hollywood is only a couple years behind Bay Meadows, it will be probably be torn down as soon as the economy recovers (there are plans in place for reseidential/commercial development there). Pleasanton will probably become the the replacement for Bay Meadows - it's a fairgrounds track that they are talking about switching over to AW but it needs a turf course (they're talking a multi phase prject to get it up to standards for regular season California racing). The Tapeta surface at GGF is not as wonderful as advertised, many horses are getting bowed tendons and we've had our share of breakdown this season...