Racing to resume Saturday after cancellations

Golden Gate Fields resumes racing on Saturday for the first time in a week after cancelling racing last Sunday and Friday this week because of a lack of entries.

Golden Gate Fields will close on June 9.

Since mid-April, Golden Gate Fields has cancelled five days of racing as the stable area population has dwindled with some horses being sent to other circuits. There were approximately 700 horses housed at Golden Gate Fields aside from unraced 2-year-olds, a track official said earlier this month.

Saturday’s eight-race program drew 63 runners before scratches. Through last weekend, the track averaged 6.56 runners per race since the season opened on Dec. 26, compared to 6.52 during a similar period last year when the track ran 102 more races.

Prior to this week, racing was not held on April 19, May 1, May 17, and on Sunday, with track officials citing concern over entries.

Beginning Saturday, Golden Gate has nine days of racing scheduled – through Monday this weekend, May 31-June 2 and June 7-9.

The leading races on Saturday are two one-mile allowances races – the fourth race, for fillies and mares on the synthetic main track, and the seventh race, at a mile on turf.

Next month, racing in Northern California will shift to the summer and early fall fair circuit with the start of the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton on June 14. Pleasanton will operate a nine-week fall meeting beginning in late October to replace Golden Gate Fields.

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