Tim Ritvo says, even though it may result in a significant loss to Northern California's horse population, the current plan for the 2018 season is to shut down Golden Gate Fields as an auxiliary stable for about two months of fair racing.
Northern California could face a threat of losing horse population if Golden Gate Fields shuts down as an auxiliary stabling location during the region's fair meets.
Although radical changes were suggested for Northern California's 2018 racing schedule, the California Horse Racing Board's Race Dates Committee members only suggested minor modifications to the schedule for the full board to consider Oct. 26.
The Glen Ellen Vocational Academy, along with its 34 retired horses, came through the stubborn Sonoma County fire that threatened them for more than a week mostly unscathed, the relieved owner of the facility reported Oct. 19.
Although the California Horse Racing Board tabled a decision regarding the ongoing dispute over racing date assignments in Northern California, the discussion during its Sept. 28 meeting again exposed a deep rift between stakeholders in the region.
A magnitude 6.5 earthquake off the coast of Northern California Dec. 8 only caused "minor cosmetic damages" to the Ferndale racetrack at the Humboldt County Fair, according to fair officials.
A nearly sixth-month dispute over Northern California's 2017 racing schedule was resolved Nov. 17 during a California Horse Racing Board meeting at Del Mar.
The California Horse Racing Board's Race Dates Committee took a step toward resolving a nearly six-month-long dispute regarding Northern California's 2017 schedule Nov. 16, with a recommendation that largely resembles 2016's slate in the region.
Members of the California Horse Racing Board made a commitment to decide the highly contentious Northern California 2017 racing dates dispute at its regular October meeting, but the regulatory agency could not reach a resolution Oct. 20.
Longtime owner,breeder, attorney, and civic leader John (Jack) DeMeo died Oct. 6 at his home in Santa Rosa, Calif. He was 82.
After two hours of discussion Oct. 7 about the ongoing dates dispute in Northern California, the California Horse Racing Board's Race Dates Committee made a recommendation for the regulatory agency's full monthly meeting Oct. 20.
Veteran race caller Frank Mirahmadi will be the full-time track announcer at Golden Gate Fields when fall racing begins Oct. 20.
Regulatory body altered verbiage to move into line with court ruling, but issue currently only concerns Quarter Horse racing.
After more than two and a half hours of discussion July 13 during a California Horse Racing Board Race Dates Committee meeting, a racing schedule for 2017 in both Northern and Southern California remained unresolved.
Though still early in the process for allocating 2017 racing dates, a California Horse Racing Board Dates Committee meeting June 15 provided a glimpse of what might be ahead.
George Todaro and Jerry Hollendorfer's G. G. Ryder will seek his second straight victory in the All American Stakes (gr. III) May 30 at Golden Gate Fields.
Although he'd ideally like to have a softer landing spot, trainer Jeff Mullins is just happy to get grade I winner Gabriel Charles back to racing April 30 in the $100,000 San Francisco Mile (gr. IIIT) at Golden Gate Fields.
Despite multiple members expressing frustration with the way the process was handled, the California Horse Racing Board approved a reallocation of dates within the Northern California fair circuit April 21 during a meeting at Golden Gate Fields.
Hall of Fame jockey Russell Baze suffered a broken right collarbone in a third-race spill April 16 at Golden Gate Fields.
Golden Gate Fields will offer increased purses, free shipping to and from Santa Anita Park, and guaranteed late Pick 4 pools during its inaugural three-week Turf Festival.
William Mahorney, a former jockey and trainer in Northern California, died March 10 after contracting pneumonia. He was 75.
Golden Gate Fields will begin to broadcast its races using high-definition cameras and video March 17, The Stronach Group announced March 10.
Eclipse Award-winning rider Kyle Frey suffered hematomas and crush injuries to his muscles covering his femur and humerus during a fifth-race spill Feb. 20 at Golden Gate Fields.
Minutes after 2014 Horse of the Year California Chrome makes his 5-year-old debut in Santa Anita's San Pasqual Stakes (gr. II), his full sister Hope's Love will return from a seven-month layoff in a maiden special weight.
Hope's Love, the 2-year-old full sister to California Chrome, will be sidelined four to six months with a hairline fracture in her shoulder, trainer Steve Sherman said July 15.
Northern California trainer William J. Morey Jr., a member of the California Thoroughbred Breeders' Association Hall of Fame, died April 10 after a long battle with cancer.
Kjell Qvale purchases the bay yearling for $20,000 Aug. 17.
Dear Lady Ann, a daughter of Salt Lake, brought $37,000 to top the Northern California yearling sale at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa Aug. 26. Super Horse purchased the chestnut yearling from Jack and Barb Hatch's Green Acre Stables, agent for Lercari Thoroughbreds.
Bay Meadows Racing Association will conduct a new three-race event in March called the Triple Play Race Series, which consists of a $10,000 claiming race followed by two starter races.
Golden Gate Fields experienced an increase in all-sources handle and a decrease in catastrophic injuries during its first meet with a synthetic surface.
TVG's will air on-site reports from the Northern California track.
Trainer Armando Lage recorded career victory 1,000 Aug. 13 when his 3-year-old colt Son Montuno rallied from off the pace to win the fourth race at the San Mateo County Fair at Bay Meadows.
The California Horse Racing Board has approved a one-year conditional waiver from the state mandate for synthetic surfaces for Bay Meadows.
One racecourse is apparently closing at the end of the year, a victim of its decision not to install a synthetic racing surface. Then voters rejected the track that would have eventually replaced it. After a tumultuous month for the future of Northern California racing, what happens next?
Magna Entertainment Corp. has adopted "development covenants" in an attempt to allay the fears of opponents in regard to its plans to build Dixon Downs racetrack in Northern California.
Vicarino set sail early and disposed of three foes to net his third win in four career starts in the Stinson Beach Stakes at Golden Gate Fields New Year's Day.
Dixon Downs, Magna Entertainment Corp.'s "dream track" for Northern California, got a giant step closer to reality the evening of Oct. 23. But a local group that opposes the project is pushing for a referendum on the project in 2007.
As part of an effort to address concerns raised by several Northern California members, the Thoroughbred Owners of California held an open forum July 28 at Golden Gate Fields and pledged to act on several recommendations.
Racing at the Solano County Fair, in recent years thought doomed because of expected redevelopment to the valuable property, apparently won't be going anywhere for quite a while.
About 200 Northern California horsemen have signed a petition supporting the formation of a new trainer/owner organization to represent them in negotiations with racetrack associations and others, saying they believe their affiliation with the Thoroughbred Owners of California is no longer adequate.
The San Mateo, Calif., City Council has approved a developer's plan to demolish Bay Meadows racetrack, while an earlier announcement the track's landowner is seeking a new site for a racino in the outer Bay Area was met with skepticism by opponents.
The California Horse Racing Board plans to eliminate 12 Thoroughbred racing dates this summer that belonged to the state fair and reduce the number of competing Northern California dates by four days.
A group of California jockeys formally announced Feb. 3 they have formed a non-profit organization to "to improve the health, welfare, and economic status of the jockey community."
Four years after it was first proposed, Magna Entertainment's $250 million dream track for Northern California is finally nearing the public hearing stage. A series of meetings on various aspects of the development will be held in 2005, Dixon city officials said at a planning commission meeting Dec. 21.
The California Thoroughbred Breeders Association appears ready to lend its backing to a move to re-establish a yearling sale in Northern California.
The Solano County Fair Association will begin exclusive negotiations with Mills Corp. to redevelop the Vallejo, Calif., fairgrounds. It would eventually spell the end of more than 50 years of live racing at the San Francisco Bay-area facility.
Detailed studies for the proposed $250-million Dixon Downs in Northern California are set to begin now that Magna Entertainment Corp. has received approval from the Dixon City Council for an agreement to pay for consultants for the extensive reports.
Only a few days after researchers announced the cloning of a full sibling to the 9-year-old racing mule Taz, he upset 11-year-old Black Ruby in a $900 open event at the Humboldt County Fair in Winnemucca, Nev.
Magna Entertainment Corp.'s plans for Dixon Downs, the company's ideal "racetrack of the future," are finally headed to the starting gate. On March 3, MEC submitted its detailed proposal for the $250-million project to the city of Dixon, located 19 miles west of Sacramento, Calif.
The Sonoma County Fair plans to build a $3-million turf course by 2004 in hopes of enhancing its summer racing schedule. But the longtime leading trainer on the Northern California circuit said it wouldn't affect his plans.
