Golden Gate cancels racing until Dec. 26

Golden Gate Fields will not resume racing until Dec. 26 at the earliest because of ongoing effects of an outbreak of coronavirus among stable employees, the track announced in a statement Thursday.

Golden Gate Fields ceased racing on Nov. 13, with officials stating at the time that racing would be disrupted for a week. A subsequent announcement put a halt to racing until this week before Thursday’s announcement of a further extension without racing.

This is the second time this year that racing has been halted because of the coronavirus. Racing was ordered shut by local health officials on April 2 and did not resume until May 14.

Track vice president and general manager David Duggan said in an interview Friday that he was “hopeful” for a resumption of racing on Dec. 26.

“A lot will depend on the ongoing tests,” he said.

There were more than 200 positives among backstretch employees in November. Duggan said the track is working with local government officials to test those employees for coronavirus.

“We’re shepherding people back to work when they’ve fulfilled that requirement of isolation and quarantine,” he said.

In its statement, the track said the Berkeley Public Health Division is overseeing positive cases. Individuals involved have been required to isolate and have not been allowed to return to the racetrack until receiving a health clearance from public health officials.

The absence of racing from Nov. 13 to Dec. 26 at the earliest has resulted in the cancellation of seven stakes races, including the Grade 3 Berkeley Handicap, a $100,000 race that was scheduled for Nov. 28.

Two $75,000 races will not be run in coming weeks – the Gold Rush Stakes for 2-year-olds and the Bear Fan Stakes for California-bred fillies and mares.

Duggan and other racetrack officials throughout the state are closely monitoring state government policies that are likely to result in a stay-at-home order as early as this weekend for some parts of California that will curtail retail businesses and force restaurants into a takeout-only policy.

Under that policy, satellite-wagering facilities would be closed, but professional sports would be allowed to continue without live audiences. Golden Gate Fields, Los Alamitos, and Santa Anita operated race meetings without audiences of any kind earlier this year.

Owners were allowed to attend Thoroughbred races at Southern California tracks in late July, a policy that will be in place at the Los Alamitos Thoroughbred meeting this weekend.

Duggan said he is optimistic that racing at Golden Gate Fields will not deal with further disruptions by any statewide regulation once the current issues with the coronavirus subside in the stable area.

“We have to recognize everything that is going on around us,” Duggan said of state policies.

“It’s been a topsy-turvy year for everybody. We have to make sure we kick this thing out of here.”