History
Golden Gate Fields opened on February 1, 1941, and during World War II the Navy used the property as a landing-craft equipment depot. Noor beat Citation there in the 1950 Golden Gate Handicap, and jockey Russell Baze won his 10,000th race there in 2008.
The Stronach Group, owner since 2011, announced in July 2023 that racing would end. The final card was run on June 9, 2024, before 5,936 people.
Why it matters: It was Northern California's last major Thoroughbred racetrack.
Timeline
- February 1, 1941Inaugural meet[1]
The track's inaugural meet began on February 1, 1941.
- 1942Navy depot[1]
During World War II the U.S. Navy used the property as the Naval Landing Force Equipment Depot, Albany.
- 1950Noor beats Citation[1]
Noor beat Citation in the Golden Gate Handicap.
- February 1, 2008Russell Baze's 10,000th win[1]
Jockey Russell Baze won his 10,000th career race at the track.
- July 16, 2023Closure announced[1]
The Stronach Group announced that 2023 would be the last year of racing; closing was later postponed to June 2024.
- June 9, 2024Final race card[1]
The final card drew 5,936 people and ended an 83-year run.
The site today
| Physical status | Status unknown |
|---|---|
| Mapped location | Former venue site |
We have not verified what occupies the site today. Know? Tell us, with a source.
Street View near the former site · Satellite view (external, current imagery)
Venue facts
| Location | Albany, California |
|---|---|
| Venue type | Racetrack |
| Sports | Horse racing |
| Level | Thoroughbred |
| Opened | February 1, 1941[1] |
| Last used for sports | June 9, 2024[1] |
| Physical status | Status unknown |
| Capacity notes | Wikipedia gives about 8,000 seats in the main grandstand, about 5,200 in the clubhouse and about 1,500 in the Turf Club. |
| Surface | Tapeta synthetic main track (installed 2007); turf course |
| Owner / operator | The Stronach Group (from 2011); earlier Kjell Qvale, Ladbroke Racing (1989) and Magna Entertainment (1999)[1] |
| Closure | Owner The Stronach Group ended racing at the track. |
Documented details
Sources
- Golden Gate Fields, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: capacity, closed, coordinates, events, opened, owner operator
Research confidence
Some facts on this page rely on a single source or are still being corroborated. Treat specific dates and figures with care. Last reviewed 2026-10-19.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.