Golden Gate Fields gets go-ahead to reopen Jan. 15

Golden Gate Fields will resume racing on Jan. 15, two months after racing was halted because of a coronavirus outbreak in the stable area.

The announcement was made to owners and trainers on Thursday evening following discussions among track executives and local government officials. Entries for the Jan. 15 program will be taken Tuesday.

“It was a long process and we’re delighted to be back,” track general manager David Duggan said in a brief conversation Friday morning. “We’re at a stage that it was okay to come back.”

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Racing was halted by the Berkeley Public Health Division on Nov. 13 because of a widespread outbreak. In a statement released by the track on Friday, the rate of positives “have decreased to levels to allow the resumption of live racing.”

The track said discussions were held with the Berkeley Public Health Division and the Alameda County Public Health Department on allowing the track to reopen.

When racing resumes, no spectators will be allowed and no owners will be permitted to attend, the statement said.

When racing was halted in November, the track had hoped to resume racing in a matter of weeks, but the outbreak involved more than 300 of the approximately 500 backstretch employees and led to a longer-than-expected delay. Trainer Bob Hess Sr. died in early December at the age of 86 from complications of the coronavirus.

Golden Gate Fields has been closed twice in the last year because of the coronavirus. The track was ordered shut by local health officials on April 2, 2020, and did not resume racing until May 14.

Racing will be held from Jan. 15-18 and from Jan. 22-24 before a four-day racing week from Jan. 28-31. No stakes are scheduled during that span.