BERKELEY, Calif.—The Stronach Group announced on July 16 that it will close down Golden Gate Fields at the end of the 2023 racing meet.
The development is aimed at consolidating and invigorating its horse racing operations in Southern California, at the Santa Anita Park racetrack in Arcadia and the San Luis Rey Downs training center in Bonsall.
Ed Moger Jr., a horse trainer of 47 years who moved over to Golden Gate Fields when Bay Meadows closed, spoke to The Epoch Times about the closure, saying that “they said they weren’t making any money there.”
“It’s a little unsettling,” he said. “It’s more of a hardship to the people who work there. A lot of people are really upset, wondering what’s going to happen. … They keep asking me every day if we are going to be going to Sacramento. … Some people have been working for me for 30 years.”
He said Golden Gate Fields is probably the best place in the country to train. It’s always cool, not hot; the temperature is consistent all the time. He said he prefers the synthetic track.
“It’s been a great place,” he said.
He said there’s a possibility of going to race in Sacramento and relocate horses there. If that doesn’t happen, he said he will have some horses go to Santa Anita who can compete down there, and he is also looking at Kentucky.
“If the current racetrack closes and there’s nothing in Northern California—a lot of those people work there, and actually live there also, so they’ll be without a home, and no job,” he said.
“It’s gut-wrenching,” said Monty R. Meier, a horse trainer at Golden Gate Fields since 1988. “I don’t know what I’m going to do. I got 51 years in horse racing. I started working on the track when I was 14; I became a jockey when I was 17; been an assistant trainer and a trainer since ‘88. … It’s a slap in the face.”
He said that in the summer of 2022, Golden Gate Fields took a break from racing during the fair in Pleasanton to fix up the barn area and the sewer system. In 2023, they were going to put a new track in.
“When they didn’t close it down and they didn’t put a new track in, everyone started getting a little worried,” he said.
He said that the horses that race at Santa Anita Park are racing at a higher level than the horses at Golden Gate Fields.
“Our horses aren’t Southern California quality,” he said. “Our $5,000 horses or our $10,000 horses are worth that up here. Their bottom horses run for $20,000. We’re not going to be able to compete, because if they ride races for us, those guys will be able to drop their horses down to more of a competitive level for them, and it’s even going to be harder for us to win races.”
He said he is not relocating to Southern California.
“I still have hope in the back of [my] mind that somebody’s going to get something worked out up here in Sacramento, that we’ll get some racing dates, then we’ll go from there,” he said.
He said going to race in Sacramento might be a long shot, though, because the people in Sacramento, who are harness racing, just signed a contract until 2030 and he doesn’t think the people in Sacramento will want to give up their racing dates to others coming from another track.
He said he has heard plans of harness racing being able to share the Sacramento track with thoroughbred racing. One type would race during the day and another at night, he said.
However, he doesn’t think this is likely to work because they race on two different surfaces.
“They don’t have enough barn area for thoroughbred horses and harness horses to stable at the same time,” he said.
Mr. Meier shared about a memorable time that happened in Golden Gate Fields while he was working for Vincent Timphony in 1987. He said he was asked to bring a horse named Blackfire, who was coming back from a layoff, up to Golden Gate Fields from Santa Anita. He said that’s how he got his foot in the door in Northern California. He only had a few days with Blackfire, but he went on to win his race.
The Stronach Group said it will focus on transitioning horses from Golden Gate Fields to Southern California at the end of 2023. The stated goal is to increase field sizes and add another day of racing to the weekly calendar at Santa Anita Park.
The Group stated that the consolidation will provide expanded content opportunities and wagering prospects and serve to uplift the customer experience at Santa Anita Park.
“The Stronach Group remains steadfastly committed to racing in California,” said Belinda Stronach, chairwoman, chief executive officer, and president of The Stronach Group, in the announcement.
Ms. Stronach said the company recognizes that its decision will have profound effects on its employees as well as the owners, trainers, jockeys, and stable personnel at Golden Gate Fields. She added that the company is committed to honoring its labor obligations.
The Stronach Group announced its multi-million-dollar plan on July 28. The plan includes over $1 million to support the relocation of horses, trainers, and backstretch employees to Southern California.
Mr. Moger said, “It is a lot of money, but it’s not a lot of money per horse.”
He said he doesn’t think any money is going to employees who do not relocate to Southern California.
