Golden Gate Fields belatedly opens winter-spring meet

Golden Gate Fields resumes racing Friday after missing the first 11 originally scheduled days of the 2021 winter-spring meet and the final 16 days of the 2020 fall meet due to a COVID-19 outbreak on the backstretch.

Racing also was suspended in the spring on orders from Alameda County when the coronavirus pandemic began.

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The most recent closure came after 200 people working at Golden Gate Fields tested positive for COVID-19. Trainer Bob Hess Sr. died from the virus.

The Berkeley Public Health and Alameda County Health departments gave Golden Gate the approval to resume racing.

“It’s taken a huge effort,” track general manager David Duggan said. “We’ve worked closely with Berkeley following their guidance and quarantining procedures. We got to November with no problems, but this is a ferocious virus and doesn’t play by the rules.”

Neither owners nor fans will be allowed to attend the races, the track said.

Golden Gate will race Friday-Monday (Martin Luther King Jr. Day) this week, and Friday-Sunday next week. After that, the track is scheduled to race Thursdays-Sundays.

The stakes schedule includes the $100,000 El Camino Real Derby, a Kentucky Derby points race, on Feb. 13; six stakes worth $600,000 highlighted by the $250,000 San Francisco Mile on April 24; and the $75,000 Silky Sullivan and $75,000 Campanile on April 25.

The San Francisco Mile, Silky Sullivan, and Campanile were among the stakes canceled last spring when the track was shut down. Several stakes were canceled last fall, and Golden Gate said it might bring one or more back during this meet.

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Golden Gate also will join with sister track Santa Anita on the Golden Hour Pick 4 and the Golden Hour Double, The Golden Hour Pick 4 comprises the final two races at each track, and the Golden Hour Double links the last race at each track. Both will have a 15 percent takeout.

Friday’s card attracted 86 entries for eight races, with four of the races overfilled. Golden Gate housed 1,380 horses when forced to close in November, and racing secretary Patrick Mackey said there are still 1,022 horses stabled on track. Mackey said that owners of a number of the departed horses have indicated they plan to return.

He said there were 275-280 horses that worked Sunday – another indication that entries will remain strong.

Golden Gate tried to stem the COVID-19 outbreak when it was discovered in early November. Berkeley Public Health Department staff conducted visits and began providing test kits within 48 hours of the initial positive tests. Golden Gate implemented new safety protocols, including a testing program using the racing office as the testing facility. Golden Gate also provided off-site housing and meals for workers who needed to be isolated after testing positive. Golden Gate added temporary restroom facilities for each barn along with additional hand-washing stations.

In March, Golden Gate closed the track to the general public but continued to race, following instructions from the California Horse Racing Board. On April 2, the track announced it had stopped racing on orders from Alameda County. Golden Gate resumed racing May 14 and raced through the summer and into the fall until it stopped racing again on Nov. 13. Friday’s card will be the first since then.