Golden Gate to close?

[Spalding No!]

Originally Posted by ScottJ

If you are a NoCal Fair Circuit fan, you had better get your final fill of visits this summer. How could those meets reconvene?

Losing both NoCal and Chicago in the same year is just terrible news for the sport.

When you wonder why the foal crop is decreasing so radically, remember the loss of these secondary ovals.

Per the LA Times article on this, the organization that runs the Northern CA fairs says it has previously devised a year-round schedule centered around Cal Expo (which has a fairly sizeable barn area) in the event of Golden Gate closing (which has been rumored off-and-on for years). Racing would be dark during the winter holidays through February, but run the rest of the year.

It also said Cal Expo could add a turf course.

[horses4courses]

Originally Posted by Spalding No!

Per the LA Times article on this, the organization that runs the Northern CA fairs says it has previously devised a year-round schedule centered around Cal Expo (which has a fairly sizeable barn area) in the event of Golden Gate closing (which has been rumored off-and-on for years). Racing would be dark during the winter holidays through February, but run the rest of the year.

It also said Cal Expo could add a turf course.

I live in Northern California.
That plan sounds like a disaster.

[horsefan2019]

Originally Posted by Spalding No!

Per the LA Times article on this, the organization that runs the Northern CA fairs says it has previously devised a year-round schedule centered around Cal Expo (which has a fairly sizeable barn area) in the event of Golden Gate closing (which has been rumored off-and-on for years). Racing would be dark during the winter holidays through February, but run the rest of the year.

It also said Cal Expo could add a turf course.

Theres a lake in the middle of the track. They would have to drain it or fill parts of it in order to have a turf course. And also move the tote board back.

[Spalding No!]

Originally Posted by horses4courses

I live in Northern California.
That plan sounds like a disaster.

All of it, or a specific part?

At the very least it allows second- & third-tier horses a place to compete (if that is something that is considered desirable).

It also allows people in the industry up there another option aside from relocating to southern California (or finding another line of work).

[Hambletonian]

From a real estate standpoint it makes sense...but how many horses racing at GG would be competitive in SoCal?

It would be like closing Finger Lakes and saying it was to consolidate racing on the NYRA circuit.

[Maximillion]

Or Santa Anita can start writing more claiming type races.I dont see that as a bad thing.

[Spalding No!]

Originally Posted by horsefan2019

Theres a lake in the middle of the track. They would have to drain it or fill parts of it in order to have a turf course. And also move the tote board back.

Not sure if the lake & tote board location are deal breakers but the article said, "...[a turf course] is being added to Sacramento."

Unless it was a misquote, it might already be a done deal.

[horsefan2019]

Originally Posted by Spalding No!

Not sure if the lake & tote board location are deal breakers but the article said, "...[a turf course] is being added to Sacramento."

Unless it was a misquote, it might already be a done deal.

I didn't say it was impossible, it would cost them more than just simply putting down some rails and growing grass.

[horses4courses]

Originally Posted by Spalding No!

All of it, or a specific part?

At the very least it allows second- & third-tier horses a place to compete (if that is something that is considered desirable).

It also allows people in the industry up there another option aside from relocating to southern California (or finding another line of work).

I see the upside, but have my doubts about product demand.
It's a reflection of the direction that this great sport has been taking for years.
Concentrating on the major tracks and facilities only.

Wish things were different, but sometimes less is more.

[Spalding No!]

Originally Posted by horses4courses

I see the upside, but have my doubts about product demand.
It's a reflection of the direction that this great sport has been taking for years.
Concentrating on the major tracks and facilities only.

Wish things were different, but sometimes less is more.

Fair enough; like I said its questionable whether there's any benefit/demand for lower tier horses racing.

Golden Gate was basically relying on the same sub-$8k claimers running every 2 weeks or less to fill their cards.

From an injury/safety perspective, when you factor in the not insignificant loss of the Tapeta surface, one could speculate that maintaining that treadmill of inferiority on a dirt track might produce disastrous results.

Meanwhile, there is already a fairly strong connection between the northern CA circuit & Emerald Downs, so that's another option for the affected horsemen.

[horses4courses]

Originally Posted by Spalding No!

Meanwhile, there is already a fairly strong connection between the northern CA circuit & Emerald Downs, so that's another option for the affected horsemen.

If Emerald Downs could benefit from the inclusion
of racing people and their horses, I'm all for it.
Not sure that the N. Calif. fair circuit survives without GGF.

I was sad to see Bay Meadows go dark.
Unfortunately, this next chapter was inevitable.

[dilanesp]

If there were enough horses in Northern California for a year round Sacramento meet, they wouldn't be closing Golden Gate.

[horsefan2019]

I have a hard time believing this will affect the fields at Santa Anita much. Somebody based in Norcal isn't going relocate to Socal. Its more than likely they will relocate to out of state or shut down altogether.

[classhandicapper]

The bad news is that even though it's likely at least some of the horses and handle will shift from GG to SA, it's very unlikely the economics of SA racing are going to improve all that much, let alone enough.

Does anyone think the free cash flow will improve enough, that management is smart enough, and the politics favorable enough to create a virtuous cycle of investment and growth where the purses are raised sharply and the track take lowered enough that it encourages more investment in horses and a much higher handle, which generates more free cash and so on...?

It will be more like giving a transfusion to someone bleeding to death without cauterizing the wound first.

I'm not sure anything can fix this industry anymore.

The formula for dealing with a shrinking industry is more or less known. You have to consolidate and cut costs fast enough to get to free cash flow and then you at least have a chance to invest and turn things around. But I'm not sure anyone in control has the competency and freedom to execute it or if they even want to try. We are still in some kind of incompetent denial and slow decline to oblivion.

[46zilzal]

Investigate, and LEARN FROM, the best little meeting, year in and year out, OAKLAWN in Hot Springs, Ark.