track closings

Berkeley City Council could vote on an ordinance that, if passed, would essentially lead to the premature closure of Golden Gate Fields and throw into question the near-term future of the Northern California horse colony, workforce and training colony, the latter already buffeted by 25% cuts to the track's purses. The Bay Area racetrack is scheduled to race from Dec. 26 through June 9, 2024, after which the facility is set to close permanently. The proposed ordinance--which makes the claim that confining a horse to its stall for the majority...

Whether or not horse racing should continue at the state's tracks was not an actionable agenda item on Thursday's California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) meeting, but the topic came up early and often as COVID-19 concerns dominated the discussion. The crux of the debate centered on Santa Anita Park and whether or not continuing to race without spectators present constituted an "essential business" exemption under the statewide stay-at-home mandate designed to slow the spread of the coronavirus outbreak. The CHRB has allowed racing to continue with health-related restrictions at the...