When I first got the word that the Golden State Racing meet in Pleasanton was going to pull the plug on racing in the north, there was a gamut of emotions that ran through my brain.
“Anger” was the first and that was directed at a lot of different people and different organizations.
“Sad” certainly made a big appearance as there a lot of people that are going to be losing jobs – people that live and breathe the sport.
There were other feelings as well but one thought that never entered my mind – “disbelief.”
More on that in a bit. Let’s run through how we got to this point.
Golden Gate Fields earlier this year finally made good on repeated threats about closing the track for good, this time according to the plan, to consolidate racing in Southern California.
Northern California horsemen, the California Authority of Racing Fairs (CARF), and the Alameda County Fair banded together, came up with a plan, and made a push to be awarded the vanished racing dates from Golden Gate Fields, and begin to rebuild Northern California.
Initially in March when the California Horse Racing Board voted 6-0 to award the racing dates for Golden State Racing for a 26-day meet at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, there was a lot of happiness, enthusiasm, and hope.
Working relationships appeared to be aligned in a way that was going in the right direction, and in cases, relationships that had always been tenuous.
As we got through another successful fair summer and got closer to the start of Golden State Racing, there were plenty of us that saw potential warnings, thus no feeling of disbelief.
On sticking point was the purse structure. The GSR proposal was for a fair purse structure for the operators to allow for racing to get foothold under the new group.
It was only the obvious thing to do, but the right thing to do. “Work together,” was the phrase I hear repeatedly.
It didn’t happen.
In fact, the TOC – largely controlled by Southern California power brokers who wanted all racing in the south – said they would not sign a contract for GSR unless they got the purse structure they wanted.
This little game the TOC plays with all tracks, is always trying to milk the tracks dry.
Backed into a corner, GSR signed for the higher purse structure. That was the major dagger in the back of racing, leaving GSR in a no-win situation.
And that’s what happened as entering the last weekend of racing GSR over-paying purses in a drastic amount. Losses were estimated at $135,000 per week.
At the time, CARF’s financials showed $2.6 million in 2024 income for Golden State Racing but expenses exceeding $3.6 million.
Make it clear – under no circumstances did the majority of the TOC want Golden State Racing to survive past the 26-day Fall meeting.
This is what horse racing has always been – say one thing to make people feel warm and fuzzy, but don’t do the right thing for the sport. The TOC is as good as it gets at sticking it to the tracks.
In addition, 1/ST Racing, the horse racing branch of The Stronach Group, pulled the simulcast signal for XPressbet.com, leaving GSR in the dark for wagering options for their clients, dinging Pleasanton for large chunks of money on opening weekend.
Just another case of sabotage but this time it worked, sending GSR into a tailspin right off the bat.
Once it was obvious GSR was going to shuttle, the champagne was popped at Santa Anita, which is where the TOC has an office.
Then came The Stronach Group/1st Racing to the rescue with this announcement during the week of December 16.
“California’s Thoroughbred racing stakeholders have finalized a landmark agreement to ensure the long-term viability of the sport statewide. Starting December 26 with the 90th opening of Santa Anita Park’s winter meet, the state will transition to a single circuit for most of the year, with Thoroughbred racing running exclusively at Santa Anita through June 15. The unified plan increases purses for both Northern and Southern owners, provides targeted support for Northern-based horses, and secures year-round stabling and training at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton.
Key components of the plan include uninterrupted stabling and training at Pleasanton, along with vanning services for Northern California-based horses traveling to and from Santa Anita. Weekly races with preferences and restrictions for Northern-based horses will be carded with travel stipends to help support horsemen and horsewomen traveling to Santa Anita.”
One problem – how many times has TSG made a statement where that they had the solution to save racing?
And how many times has it come true? I stopped drinking the Kool-Aid a long time ago and I think more came to the realization this time.
After the latest power play, there is one emotion left that is permeating throughout my every being – FRUSTRATION.
It’s just one word – but there are so many levels.
*Frustration with the SoCal TOC for pretending to care about racing outside of their little Cabal of self-serving owners. You can justifiably point fingers at a lot of different people/organizations, but the SoCal TOC should be standing in the spotlight, front and center for destroying Golden State Racing.
*Frustration with fate facing the wonderful behind the scenes workers. Those on the back side, those in the racing office, and all others in the industry are staring at the loss of jobs. They work tirelessly, and without no notice, losing their jobs.
These are the group of people who are the heart and soul of horse racing, and they are also the ones who are the most affected. These are the real heroes of racing getting stepped on once again. You can add the emotion “pissed,” in here.
*Frustration that on track attendance was so poor. I did my part, buying box seats for the meeting. On opening day, I was there but as the day in mid-October got later, it got cold. My thought was that day was, “what the hell am I going to do in November and December.” It was tough every time I went down, seeing that you could fire a cannon through the stands, and as the meeting went on, it appeared the majority of the sparse crowd were backside employees.
*Frustration that communications between all parties involved was horrible. There were times I would be connecting with the Alameda County Fair marketing team – as hard-working of a marketing team as there is – asking for information regarding a racing decision, and it was the first they had heard of it. At times they were being frozen out as the rest of us had been throughout the length of the meet. I work with them during the summer for the Fair and they always produce. Give them the tools and they produce – yes, it is that simple.
*Frustration with all the dreams for Pleasanton locals of seeing year-round horse racing in Pleasanton come to fruition, only to see if all squashed in 26 days.
That may be the hardest thing to swallow – 26 days to destroy Northern California racing. All of us who have been a part of horse racing for 40-year plus wanted was a chance. It was going to be tough without the external forces trying to sabotage racing, but when you are set up to fail, you are not winning.
Check back here from time to time as we will continue to post information, especially as it stands for the Alameda County Fair meeting. More information will be coming out all the time and I will keep listing it here.
By Dennis Miller