california racing

Two weeks after an initial company announcement on the closure of Golden Gate Fields at the end of the year, The Stronach Group (TSG) issued details Friday on their plans for consolidating racing operations at its Southern California racing and training facilities, Santa Anita and San Luis Rey Downs. The plan--shared via Zoom during a press briefing lasting about 30 minutes--appeared large on big-ticket promises though short on specifics in other key areas, including the broader industry impacts from the closure of Golden Gate Fields. The following details were divulged...

California Senator Dianne Feinstein issued a letter Wednesday to The Stronach Group (TSG), which owns Golden Gate Fields, requesting answers to the reasons behind the planned closure of the track at the end of the year, and the impacts from the company's decision on other industry sectors. Since TSG announced on July 15 with a short statement light on detail the closure of Golden Gate Fields--a momentous decision that figures to upend a way of life for many in California--the company has remained publicly mum when pressed about the decision....

After Sunday's announcement that The Stronach Group (TSG) will close at the end of the year its flagship Northern California racetrack, Golden Gate Fields, the company at the helm of the sale has gone silent, ignoring all of TDN's requests for comment this week. To bring much-needed illumination on this seismic decision, the TDN spoke Thursday morning with Greg Ferraro, the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) chairman. Among several points raised, Ferraro shared his thoughts on the need for a fixed hub of racing in Northern California to secure the...

Whether someone had the biggest stable in Northern California or a two-horse operation, the news released Sunday that Golden Gate Fields, which opened in 1941, will shut down at the end of the meet in December was a punch to the gut and led to a great deal of uncertainty. Horsemen have just five months to figure out what they will do next. The possibilities are many. They could shift their operations to Santa Anita. They could stay put and hope that the California Authority of Racing Fairs (CARF) circuit...

One day on, the fallout from The Stronach Group's (TSG) announcement that it is closing Golden Gate Fields at the end of the year continues to reverberate around the state's beleaguered platoon of trainers, owners, breeders and other stakeholders. "It's like you're Jimmy Stewart in It's a Wonderful Life, and you're losing your job right before Christmas," said trainer Tim McCanna Monday, while on the road to Del Mar for the track's summer meet. "It just really leaves things up in the air." The reason for the closure of Golden...

Opening weekend for Thoroughbred racing at the California State Fair's Cal Expo in Sacramento has been cancelled due to projected extreme temperatures, the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) said in a release Wednesday. Racing was scheduled Friday-Sunday, July 14-16. The CHRB follows an Inclement Weather Policy (IWP) which examines temperature, wind speed, and humidity to include recommendations and requirements pertaining to the heat index. The IWP lists the heat index in steps, beginning at 130, the point at which some horses experience discomfort. The danger to horses increases at 150,...

Thoroughbred owner and breeder John C. Harris will be honored at a charity fundraising dinner hosted by the Edwin J. Gregson Foundation. The event will take place Thursday, August 17, 2023, at The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, in Rancho Santa Fe, CA, located just a few miles east of Del Mar Racetrack. "We're delighted to honor John, not only for the accomplishments of his Harris Farms Horse Division, one of the country's leading racing stables and utmost influential owner/breeder operations, for which he has been inducted into the California...

Jockey Assael Espinoza and trainer Jonathan Wong were leaders in their respective divisions at the recently concluded 2023 Winter/Spring meet at Golden Gate Fields. Assael Espinoza won the most races out of any rider with 93 trips to the winner's circle from 419 starts, equating to a 22%-win rate while his mounts finished in-the-money 56% of the time. "I'm very thankful for all the owners and trainers who have given me an opportunity to ride their horses," said Espinoza. "Ever since I got to Golden Gate, people have been really...

Edited CHRB Press Release William 'Will' Meyers, a California steward for nearly 40 years, passed away Saturday at the age of 69. Will came from a racing family. His father was a steward and racing secretary. "Naturally, I started working with horses myself," he once said. "When I was a boy we lived in Arcadia, then Coronado, and on weekends I would go down to Caliente to groom and pony horses. Later, I worked as a stewards' aide in Stockton, Sacramento, and Ferndale." Meyers rose through the ranks of racing...

For every Off-the-Track Thoroughbred enthusiast, having a sound and healthy former racehorse to partner with for a second career is all they hope for. And while these same people will tell you their horse's racing history doesn't matter much, many of these same OTTB devotees will also admit their immense pride in explaining their companion's racing career, recreating as much of it as possible to anyone who will listen. Just about everyone in the Thoroughbred industry understands that most OTTBs are runners who served as the backbone of racing, filling...

Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC) has named Robert Katayama of Clovis and Lisa Rodrigues of San Diego as Rookie of the Year award winners for 2022. The award honors enthusiastic new owners who are committed to racing in California. Nominations are considered annually. "The TOC Owner Relations Committee looks forward to the Rookie of the Year nominations and awards each year," said Owner Relations Chairwoman Stephanie Hronis. "We celebrate new owners and their commitment and appreciation of the equine athlete. This year we are thrilled to recognize a Rookie of...

Pleasant Valley State Prison (PVSP) and the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) are hosting an "Open Barn" event May 12 from noon to 2 p.m. to celebrate the fourth anniversary of the PVSP Second Chances Program. This vocational training program provides incarcerated participants with life-changing job skills through its accredited equine care and stable management courses. TRF program providers work closely with participants to train horses that live on institution grounds. This valuable training can lead to employment opportunities upon release. Attendees will have the opportunity to interview and photograph program...