Golden Gate Fields is an American

horse racing Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic p ...

track straddling both Albany, California and

Berkeley, California Berkeley ( ) is a city on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay in northern Alameda County, California, United States. It is named after the 18th-century Irish bishop and philosopher George Berkeley. It borders the cities of Oakland and Emer ...

along the shoreline of the San Francisco Bay adjacent to the

Eastshore Freeway Interstate 80 (I-80) is a transcontinental Interstate Highway in the United States, stretching from San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey. The segment of I-80 in California runs east from San Francisco across the San Francisco ...

in the

San Francisco Bay Area The San Francisco Bay Area, often referred to as simply the Bay Area, is a populous region surrounding the San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun Bay estuaries in Northern California. The Bay Area is defined by the Association of Bay Area Go ...

. With the closing of the

Bay Meadows Bay Meadows was a horse racing track in San Mateo, California from 1934 until 2008, in the San Francisco Bay Area in the United States. History Built on the site of an old airfield, Bay Meadows Racecourse was the longest continually operating t ...

racetrack on May 11, 2008, it became the only major Thoroughbred racetrack in Northern California. It is currently owned by

The Stronach Group Stronach Group, doing business as 1/ST, is an entertainment and real estate company in North America with Thoroughbred horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering at the core.Tapeta Footings, Tapeta and was installed in the summer of 2007

History

Golden Gate Fields racetrack is situated on a tract of land bordered on the west by

Fleming Point Fleming Point is a rocky promontory in the U.S. state of California. It is situated in Albany, on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay. Albany Bulb is an extension of the point, having been formed in the 1960s from construction debris. History F ...

, a rocky

promontory A promontory is a raised mass of land that projects into a lowland or a body of water (in which case it is a peninsula). Most promontories either are formed from a hard ridge of rock that has resisted the erosive forces that have removed the so ...

which lies on the eastern shoreline of San Francisco Bay. On the north, it is bordered by the

Albany Bulb The Albany Bulb (also simply known as The Bulb) is a former landfill largely owned by the City of Albany, in California. The Bulb is the west end of a landfill peninsula jutting west from the east shore of San Francisco Bay. The term "Bulb" is ...

, Albany Beach and Albany Plateau, undeveloped terrain over a former landfill, owned by the City of Albany. To the east is

Interstate 80 Interstate 80 (I-80) is an east–west transcontinental freeway that crosses the United States from downtown San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey, in the New York metropolitan area. The highway was designated in 1956 as one o ...

and to the south, the Berkeley Meadow. This tract lies on what was once a part of the slough into which three creeks drain: Schoolhouse Creek,

Codornices Creek Codornices Creek (sometimes spelled and/or pronounced "Cordonices"), long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed March 15, 2011 is one of the principal creeks which runs out o ...

and

Marin Creek Marin Creek is a Stream, creek tributary of Codornices Creek in northwestern Alameda County, California.Rancho San Antonio owned by José Domingo Peralta. He sold it in July 1852 to John Fleming, who used it as a transhipment point for sending his cattle across the bay to San Francisco for slaughter and processing. Later in the 19th century, it was the site of the

Giant Powder Company The Giant Powder Company was an explosives manufacturing company which operated from the mid 19th century through the first half of the 20th century, located in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. The Giant Powder Company was the first com ...

, a manufacturer of

dynamite Dynamite is an explosive made of nitroglycerin, sorbents (such as powdered shells or clay), and Stabilizer (chemistry), stabilizers. It was invented by the Swedish people, Swedish chemist and engineer Alfred Nobel in Geesthacht, Northern Germa ...

and

nitroglycerin Nitroglycerin (NG), (alternative spelling of nitroglycerine) also known as trinitroglycerin (TNG), nitro, glyceryl trinitrate (GTN), or 1,2,3-trinitroxypropane, is a dense, colorless, oily, explosive liquid most commonly produced by nitrating g ...

. Between 1879 and 1892, the plant blew up twice. Competitive horse racing in this part of the East Bay originated with the Oakland Trotting Track about 2 miles south of the site of Golden Gate Fields, in what is now Emeryville. The Oakland Trotting Track was open from 1871 until it was forced to close in 1911 when the state banned horse racing. A fire in 1915 destroyed what remained of its structures. In 1933, the state repealed the ban on horse racing. Just before

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, Golden Gate Fields built its new grandstand up against the eastern slope of Fleming Point, and adjacent marshland was filled in for the track. The inaugural meet was on February 1, 1941. In the period just before the war, the track was used as the scene of the crime central to the plot of the movie ''

Shadow of the Thin Man ''Shadow of the Thin Man'' is the fourth of six ''The Thin Man'' murder mystery comedy films. It was released by MGM in 1941 and was directed by W. S. Van Dyke. It stars William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora Charles. Also, in this fil ...

''. With the onset of World War II, the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

took over the property as the Naval Landing Force Equipment Depot, Albany for storing hundreds of

landing craft Landing craft are small and medium seagoing watercraft, such as boats and barges, used to convey a landing force (infantry and vehicles) from the sea to the shore during an amphibious assault. The term excludes landing ships, which are larger. Pr ...

destined for use in the Pacific theater. After the war, Golden Gate Fields resumed horse racing. Golden Gate Fields was owned and managed for 25 years by San Francisco foreign car importer and horseman

Kjell Qvale Kjell Qvale (July 7, 1919 – November 2, 2013Kjell Qvale passes at 94

. In 1989, Golden Gate Fields was acquired by UK-based Ladbroke Racing. It was later acquired in 1999 by Magna Entertainment Corp., as Ladbroke wanted to divest of its non-European holdings. In March 2009, Magna filed for bankruptcy. The Stronach Group, the current owners, acquired Golden Gate Fields on July 3, 2011. Golden Gate Fields made history in 2016 when it hired 29-year-old Angela Hermann as its track announcer, succeeding

Michael Wrona Michael Wrona (born ) is an announcer from Brisbane, Australia specializing in Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred horse racing. He is best known for the phrase "Racing!", which he says at the start of every race call. Background Michael Wrona began ...

. Hermann was the first full-time female

race caller A race caller is a public-address announcer or sportscaster who describes the progress of a race, either for on-track or radio and TV fans. They are most prominent in horse racing, auto racing and track-and-field events. Among the jobs of a race ...

in the United States since Ann Elliott worked in the 1960s at Jefferson Downs near New Orleans. Currently 28-year-old Matt Dinerman is the race announcer and track handicapper at Golden Gate Fields.

Racing

Horses and their jockeys at Golden Gate Fields

In 1950,

Citation A citation is a reference to a source. More precisely, a citation is an abbreviated alphanumeric expression embedded in the body of an intellectual work that denotes an entry in the bibliographic references section of the work for the purpose of ...

and Noor met in the Golden Gate Handicap. The English bred Noor beat the great

Triple Crown Triple Crown may refer to: Sports Horse racing * Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing * Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (United States) ** Triple Crown Trophy ** Triple Crown Productions * Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing * Trip ...

winner Citation, prompting Citation's rider, Steve Brooks, to say, "We just can't beat that horse." In 1957, the horse

Silky Sullivan Silky Sullivan (February 28, 1955 – November 18, 1977) was an American thoroughbred racehorse best known for his come-from-behind racing style. Racing style There were other great closers— Whirlaway, Stymie, Calidoscopio, Needles ...

came to the track and with him came the excitement that followed him throughout his life. Until the death of Lost in the Fog, he was also the only horse to be buried in the infield. Lost in the Fog's plaque is the third to be placed at Golden Gate Fields, found near the one for Silky Sullivan and that for

Bill Shoemaker William Lee Shoemaker (August 19, 1931 – October 12, 2003) was an American jockey. For 29 years he held the world record for total professional jockey victories. Early life Referred to as "Bill", "Willie," and "The Shoe", William Lee Sho ...

. The infield turf course was opened on February 22, 1972. In 1974, the first $2 million day in

Northern California Northern California (colloquially known as NorCal) is a geographic and cultural region that generally comprises the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. Spanning the state's northernmost 48 counties, its main population centers incl ...

was held on California Derby Day. In 1984, the great

gelding A gelding is a castrated male horse or other equine, such as a pony, donkey or a mule. Castration, as well as the elimination of hormonally driven behavior associated with a stallion, allows a male equine to be calmer and better-behaved, makin ...

John Henry set a course record winning the Golden Gate Handicap. Before his death in 2006, Lost in the Fog was based here. On September 17, 2006, he was

euthanized Animal euthanasia ( euthanasia from el, εὐθανασία; "good death") is the act of killing an animal or allowing it to die by withholding extreme medical measures. Reasons for euthanasia include incurable (and especially painful) conditi ...

due to inoperable tumors found on his spleen and along his spine. Prior to his early death, Lost in the Fog ran three races at his home base — winning twice, and placing once. On September 30, 2006 Golden Gate Fields held a celebration of his life. During the summer of 2007, the racetrack installed a polymer synthetic type racing surface as mandated by the

California Horse Racing Board The California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) was established in 1933 as an independent agency of the State of California, United States. The CHRB has authority over the regulation of horse racing and parimutuel betting at licensed California race trac ...

. The

Tapeta Footings The track surface of a horse racing track refers to the material of which the track is made. There are three types of track surfaces used in modern horse racing. These are: *Turf, the most common track surface in Europe *Dirt, the most common trac ...

synthetic all-weather racing surface is designed to make racing safer for both horses and riders. On February 1, 2008, on board the horse Two Step Cat,

Russell Baze Russell Avery Baze (born 7 August 1958 ) is a retired horse racing jockey. He holds the record for the most race wins in North American horse racing history, and is a member of the United States Racing Hall of Fame and the State of Washington S ...

got his 10,000th career win as a jockey. Baze won 54 riding titles and a total of 5,765 races at Golden Gate Fields during his career.

Shared Belief Shared Belief (February 15, 2011 – December 3, 2015) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. As a two-year-old, he was undefeated in three races, including the Hollywood Prevue Stakes and Los Alamitos Futurity, and was named the American Champ ...

, the Champion 2-year-old colt of 2013, was based at the track and won several races there. With the loss of Bay Meadows to developers in 2008, Golden Gate Fields has become Northern California's only major racetrack (aside from the racetracks associated with the summer fair circuit). The California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) sets the specific racing dates each year, but there is customarily a long winter/spring meet running from late December to mid June, and a fall meet running from mid October to mid December. Starting in 2010, a summer meet was added with dates based around the summer fair circuit. On June 15, 2016, the CHRB presented a proposed 2017 calendar that would eliminate the summer meet.

Transportation

AC Transit AC Transit (Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District) is an Oakland-based public transit agency serving the western portions of Alameda and Contra Costa counties in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area. AC Transit also operates "Transbay" ro ...

, the local public transit agency, provided a seasonal bus service, line 304, between the track and North Berkeley BART station until 2008. The track is also accessible from the Gilman Street and Albany exits of the

, as well as from adjacent city streets. The

San Francisco Bay Trail The San Francisco Bay Trail is a bicycle and pedestrian trail that when finished will allow continuous travel around the shoreline of San Francisco Bay. As of 2020, of the trail have been completed. When finished, the trail will be over of p ...

, a bicycle and walking path passes between the bay and the stands. In 2009 East Shore Charter Lines was contracted to provide the racetrack with a new free service from the BART station.Free Shuttle schedule
/ref>

Racing events

The following Graded events were held at Golden Gate Fields in 2020. Grade III * Berkeley Handicap *

San Francisco Mile Stakes The San Francisco Mile Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for horses age three and older over a distance of one mile (8 furlongs) on the turf held annually in April at Golden Gate Fields in Berkeley, California. History The r ...

The following are black type listed stakes: *

El Camino Real Derby The El Camino Real Derby is a Listed American Thoroughbred horse race held in February at Golden Gate Fields in Albany, California. The race is open to three-year-olds willing to race one and one-eighth miles (9 furlongs) on Tapeta, a synthetic ra ...

California Derby The California Derby is a race for Thoroughbred horses held early in the year at Golden Gate Fields. An ungraded stakes, it is open to three-year-olds at a distance of one and one-sixteenth miles on a Tapeta surface. The Derby offers a purs ...

* All American Stakes It hosts numerous overnight handicaps and ungraded stakes events. *

California Oaks The California Oaks is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in February at Golden Gate Fields in Berkeley, California. Open to three-year-old fillies, it is contested on Tapeta Footings synthetic dirt over a distance of a mile and a s ...

* Silky Sullivan Handicap * Albany Stakes *

Alcatraz Stakes Alcatraz Island () is a small island in San Francisco Bay, offshore from San Francisco, California, United States. The island was developed in the mid-19th century with facilities for a lighthouse, a military fortification, and a military pris ...

* Campanile Stakes *

Golden Poppy ''Eschscholzia californica'', the California poppy, golden poppy, California sunlight or cup of gold, is a species of flowering plant in the family Papaveraceae, native to the United States and Mexico. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant f ...

Tanforan Stakes The Shops at Tanforan is a regional shopping mall in San Bruno, California, United States. It is located on the San Francisco Peninsula, south of San Francisco city limits. The site was originally used as a horse racing track from 1899 until 1 ...

, 3 Year Olds and up, one mile and 3/8, turf. $75,000 *

Miss America Stakes Miss (pronounced ) is an English language honorific typically used for a girl, for an unmarried woman (when not using another title such as "Doctor" or "Dame"), or for a married woman retaining her maiden name. Originating in the 17th century, it ...

, Fillies and mares, 3 Year Olds and up, one mile and 1/8, turf. $75,000 * Corte Madera Stakes, 2 Year Old Fillies, one mile. $75,000 * China Basin Stakes * Gold Rush Stakes * Half Moon Bay Stakes *

Lost in the Fog Stakes The Lost in the Fog Stakes is an American ungraded stakes run at Golden Gate Fields in Albany, California for Thoroughbred two-year-old horses. A five-furlong sprint, the race is named in honor of Lost in the Fog, the brilliant sprinter who ...

* Pacific Heights Stakes, 3 Year Olds and up (Cal-breds), one mile and 1/16. $75,000 *

Mill Valley Stakes The Mill Valley Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run each year at Golden Gate Fields. An ungraded stakes, it's open to horses three years old and older. The race is named for a small town in Marin County across the San Francisco Bay ...

* Raise Your Skirts, 4 Year Olds and up, Fillies & Mares, 6 furlongs, $75,000. * Tiburon Handicap, 3 Year Old Fillies, six furlongs. $75,000 * Sausalito Stakes, 3 Year Olds and up, six

furlong A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one eighth of a mile, equivalent to 660 feet, 220 yards, 40 rods, 10 chains or approximately 201 metres. It is now mostly confined to use in hors ...

s. $75,000 * Forty Niner Stakes, 3 Year Olds and up, one mile and 1/16. $75,000 * Stinson Beach Stakes, 3 Year Olds, six furlongs. $50,000 *

Oakland Stakes Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third largest city overall in the Bay ...

, 3 Year Olds and up, six furlongs. $75,000 * Golden Gate Fields Sprint, 4 Year Olds & Up, 6 furlongs, $75,000. * Work the Crowd, 4 Year Olds & Up, Fillies & Mares (Cal-bred), 1 mile and 1/16, $75,000. * Silveyville Stakes, 1 and 1/16 mile, $73,500 * Golden Nugget Stakes, $50,000

Pop culture references

* Punk rock band Rancid wrote and performed the song "GGF", about lead singer

Tim Armstrong Timothy Ross Armstrong (born November 25, 1965) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and producer. Known for his distinctive voice, he is the singer/guitarist for the punk rock band Rancid and hip hop/punk rock supergroup Transplants. ...

's childhood near Golden Gate Fields, on their 2000 self-titled album. * Golden Gate Fields was featured in the Rancid video "Last One to Die". * In ''

On the Road ''On the Road'' is a 1957 novel by American writer Jack Kerouac, based on the travels of Kerouac and his friends across the United States. It is considered a defining work of the postwar Beat and Counterculture generations, with its protagonis ...

'' by

Jack Kerouac Jean-Louis Lebris de Kérouac (; March 12, 1922 – October 21, 1969), known as Jack Kerouac, was an American novelist and poet who, alongside William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg, was a pioneer of the Beat Generation. Of French-Canadian a ...

, Sal Paradise visits Golden Gate Fields with his friend Remi Boncœur who loses all their money before the seventh race. * In the movie ''

Metro Metro, short for metropolitan, may refer to: Geography * Metro (city), a city in Indonesia * A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center Public transport * Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urba ...

'' starring

Eddie Murphy Edward Regan Murphy (born April 3, 1961) is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and singer. He rose to fame on the sketch comedy show ''Saturday Night Live'', for which he was a regular cast member from 1980 to 1984. Murphy has als ...

and

Michael Rapaport Michael David Rapaport (born March 20, 1970) is an American actor and comedian. Beginning his career in the early 1990s, he has made over 100 appearances in film and television. His film roles include ''True Romance'' (1993), '' Higher Learning ...

, Murphy's character is seen at Golden Gate Fields betting on a race and blaming

for losing his money.

Notes and references

* ''A Selective History of the Codornices-University Village...'', by Warren and Catherine Lee, Imprint ( Albuquerque, N.M.): Belvidere Delaware Railroad Company Enterprises, Ltd., (2000). {{reflist

External links

Photos of Golden Gate Fields, including memorial plaque for Silky Sullivan
and Lost in the Fog]
Golden Gate Fields facebook fan page

Horse racing venues in California Sports venues in Alameda County, California Sports venues in Berkeley, California Albany, California Stronach Group 1941 establishments in California Tourist attractions in Alameda County, California