Golden Gate Fields Race Track is a 225-acre, two track, thoroughbred horse racing facility in Albany, California. Its racing seasons typically run from January to April and from November to December.
Golden Gate Fields Race Track is one of California’s top Race Tracks and it regularly hosts many of the state’s big stakes events. Among these are the Work the Crowd Handicap, Golden Gate Derby, Brown Bess Handicap, Ken Maddy Sprint, El Camino Real Derby and Berkeley Handicap.
Golden Gate Fields Race Track Facts
Main Track
Dirt course
One-mile oval (sandy loam)
Width in stretch: 78 feet
Backstretch: 75 feet
Distance from last turn to finish: 1,000 feet
Distance from finish line to first turn: 383 feet
Lakeside Turf Course
Nine-tenths mile oval
65 feet wide throughout
Three-sixteenths mile chute
Maximum width, 75 feet
Minimum width, 50 feet with movable rail
Paddock
225 acres
Seating Capacity
14,750 people (Grandstand 7,960; Club House 5,230; Turf Club 1,560)
Stable Area Capacity
Stalls for 1,420 thoroughbreds
Golden Gate Fields Race Track Records
DIST
RECORD
HORSE
AGE
WGT
DATE
2F
:21 4/5 gd
The Money Doctor
2
118
Feb 21, 1975
4F
:47 sy
Glenbar
2
118
Mar 12, 1952
:47
Giddy Up
2
115
Mar 25, 1952
4 1/2F
:50 1/5
Victory Found
2
117
Apr 8, 1990
5F
0:56 2/5
Valley Land
5
119
Apr 8, 1990
5 1/2F
1:02
Proudest Hour
4
114
May 30, 1986
6F
1:07:55
El Dorado Shooter
4
114
Jan 20, 2001
1M
1:33
Caros Love
4
117
Feb 13, 1988
1 1/16M
1:39 2/5
Restless Con
4
118
Jun 24, 1991
1 1/8M*
1:45
Simply Majestic
4
114
Apr 2, 1988
1 3/16M†
1:52 3/5
Fleet Bird
4
123
Oct 24, 1953
1 1/4M†
1:58 1/5
Noor
4
127
Jun 24, 1950
1 3/8
2:18 3/5
Forin Sea
5
114
Dec 15, 1990
1 1/2M
2:29 2/5
Bo Donna
4
120
Jun 8, 1979
1 3/4
2:57 1/5
Sirmark
5
103
Oct 16, 1948
2 M
3:25 4/5
Mantourist
5
117
Oct 23, 1948
Lakeside Turf Course Records
DIST
RECORD
HORSE
AGE
WGT
DATE
4 1/2F
0:50 2/5
Bonnie Nuite
5
121
May 22, 1994
5F
0:56
Black Tornado
L'Natural
Goldie's Goldian
5
4
4
119
114
115
May 10, 1975
May 28, 1977
May 27, 1978
7 1/2F
1:28
Struttin' George
His Honor
Clever Song
5
6
4
122
118
122
May 5, 1979
Apr, 25 1981
May 25, 1986
1M
1:33 2/5
Don Alberto
5
114
Mar 22, 1980
1 1/16M
1:40 2/5
Announcer
5
115
Apr 16, 1977
1 1/16M
(chute start)
1:41 1/5
Gum
6
118
Apr 11, 1992
1 1/8M (chute start)
1:47.71
Blues Traveller
4
112
May 14, 1994
1 3/8M
2:13
John Henery
9
125
May 6, 1984
1 1/2M
2:27 2/5
Silveyville
Kings Island
Val Danseur
6
4
6
121
116
119
Jun 10, 1984
Jun 9, 1985
Jun 8, 1986
1 7/8
3:12 1/5
Paired And Painted
4
114
Jun 28, 1987
2 miles (Chute Start)
3:25 3/5
Never-Rust
8
114
Jun 26, 1988
2 3/8 miles
4:10 4/5
Situada
7
115
Jun 25, 1990
Golden Gate Fields Race Track History
1941 - The gates opened for the first time on February 1.
1977 - On arch 5, a modern day on-track attendance record for the Bay Area was set as 26,108 fans turned out to see riding sensation, Steve Cauthen, make his local debut aboard Make Amends.
1980 - On February 7, the track introduced one-window wagering through the American Tote 300.
1981 - On May 10, after an eight-year absence, Sunday racing returned to Northern California.
1988 - On May 7, Northern California attendance and handle records fell as on-track and satellite crowds totaled 34,408 and wagering $5,715,683.
1992 - On April 16, Russell Baze established a Northern Californiarecord for most victories on a single card. On June 10, Russell Baze set a Golden Gate Fields Race Track record for most wins in a meet with his 165th victory.
1995 - On May 6, the track eclipsed the $7 million mark in handle for the first time in Northern California history. A total of $7,093,420 was wagered at Golden Gate and its satellite facilities.
