The last major thoroughbred horse track in Northern California ran its final race on Sunday as the 83-year-old Golden Gate Fields officially closed. Thom Jensen reports.
The last major thoroughbred horse track in Northern California ran its final race on Sunday as the 83-year-old Golden Gate Fields officially closed.
On the historic track’s final day of racing, fans came to golden gate fields early. By noon, betting on live feed racing was already heating up, at least an hour before the gates dropped on the first race of the day.
David Duggan, Golden Gate Fields’ general manager reflected solemnly about the end of an era.
“There is a lot of shock I think,” he said. “Even though, we knew this was coming in July of last year.”
The track served as a holding site for naval equipment and armored vehicle shipments during World War II and it’s been a high-stakes top tier thoroughbred racetrack ever since.
With a vast history of successful homebred winners some of the sport’s top races, Duggan said this is a huge loss to horse racing owners, riders, trainers and breeders.
“I would say, a whole host of emotions today and it’s truly a sad day,” he said.
It was also a sad day for horse racing fans. Some who haven’t been to Golden Gate Fields for more than two decades, and others who decided to come for the first time on the last day.
Alameda resident Gail Kocher last came to the races here with her sister and friends 25 years ago and on this last day, she wishes she’d visited the track more.
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“It makes me sad that they’re probably going to put a lot of housing here, or whatever it is and it’s sad,” she said.
Kocher’s friend and first-time track visitor, Carol Witten of Richmond also spoke on this last day.
“What we see coming in here is housing, and I’m afraid that’s going to happen, and that’s quality of life you know, so we’re sorry. We’re real sorry,” she said.
One man told NBC Bay Area how the track supported his family when he worked for a tire service on tractors here.
The track at Golden Gate Fields like others have been under pressure from animal rights groups.
The company that owns the track says the closure is a result of economic challenges in the racing industry. They added plans for the huge site will be announced at a later date.
