Bay Meadows Horseracing

Bay Meadows is a thoroughbred racing facility in San Mateo, California. The facility's size is approximately 90 acres, it has two tracks and features two racing seasons: a spring meet and a fall meet. The spring meet usually runs 55 days between April and June while the fall meet typically runs 50 days between August and November.

Bay Meadows is one of the most tradition-laden racetracks in America. It is also the longest continually operating racetrack in the Golden State.

Major races held by Bay Meadows include the El Camino Real Derby, the Bay Meadows Handicap, the Bay Meadows Breeders' Cup Derby and the $125,000 California Sprint Championship.

The facilities at Bay Meadows include a one-mile oval track with 1¼-mile and ¾-mile chutes and a 7/8-mile turf course. MEC acquired the operations of Bay Meadows and leased the facility in November 2000.

Bay Meadows Facts

Main Track Data
• One mile oval with 1-1/4-mile and 6-furlong chutes
• Length of stretch, 990 feet
• Width in stretch, 85 feet
• Backstretch, 75 feet

Longden Turf Course
• Oval measures 7 furlongs, 32 feet (4,625 feet)
• Maximum width, 75 feet
• Minimum width, 50 feet
• Equipped with movable rail

Stable Area Capacity
• Stalls for 900 thoroughbreds in 5 barns

Total Seating Capacity
• 9,500 (Grandstand 7,400; Club House 1,000; Turf Club 1,100)

Bay Meadows Track Records

Main Track

DIST	RECORD	HORSE	AGE	JOCKEY	DATE
4F	0:46 2/5	Ima Dear	2	JG. Burns	Apr 2, 1935
4 1/2F	0:50.63	My Jasmine	3	N. Chaves	Aug 13, 1997
5F	0:56 3/5	Rathsallah	7	A. Lopez	Mar 23, 1995
5 1/2F	1:01.69	Arches Of Gold	5	V. Belvoir	Nov 23, 1994
6F	1:07 1/5	Black Jack Road	6	R.D. Hansen	Oct 28, 1990
7 1/2F	1:30 2/5	Lookabout	3	D. McCown	Nov 26, 1936
1M	1:33 3/5+	Aristocratical*	5	F. Mena	Sep 10, 1983
1 1/16M	1:38 2/5++	Hoedown's Day	5	T.M. Chapman	Oct 23, 1983
1 1/8M	1:46 1/5	Super Moment	3	F. Toro	Dec 13, 1980
1 3/16M	1:52 4/5	Force Of Reason	5	W.M. Winland	Nov 5, 1983
1 1/4M	2:00 2/5	Ask Father	7	W. Mahoney	Sep 28, 1968
1 1/2M	2:27 3/5	Cattle Creek	3	F. Olivares	Dec 8, 1979
1 5/8M	2:43 1/5gd	Rag King	4	T.T. Doocy	Dec 15, 1990

Longden Turf Course

DIST	RECORD	HORSE	AGE	JOCKEY	DATE
4 1/2F	0:50.41	Salta's Pride	4	R. Gonzalez	Apr 2, 1935
7F	1:24.23	First Flyer	4	N. Chavez	Aug 13, 1997
7 1/2F	1:28 4/5	Hegemony	4	D.G. McHargue	Mar 23, 1995
1M	1:34 3/5	Position's Best	7	T.T. Doocy	Nov 23, 1994
1 1/16M	1:40 1/5	Dreamer	5	R. Baze	Oct 28, 1990
1 1/8M	1:45 2/5	Caesour	6	R. Baze	Nov 26, 1936
1 3/8M	2:16 2/5	Golden Doc Ray	9	A.L. Diaz	Sep 10, 1983
abt.1 3/8M	2:17 1/5	Scruples	4	E. Delahoussaye	Oct 23, 1983
1 1/2M	2:31 2/5	Swiss Conviction	4	R. Warren Jr.	Dec 13, 1980

Bay Meadows Major Milestones

• The establishment of Bay Meadows by William P. Kyne in 1934 may have been the most important development in shaping the future of San Mateo, California. The tracks became one of the county's greatest attractions. Many celebrities, including entertainment personalities from the southern part of the state, came to watch the races.
• Bay Meadows is home to the longest-running stakes event in California - the Bay MeadowsHandicap. This race was inaugurated in 1934 and was won by the legendary Seabiscuit in 1937 and 1938.
• Another prominent racing event, the Bay Meadows Derby for 3-year-olds debuted in 1954. Its first winner was Determine, a California-bred horse who won the Kentucky Derby three weeks later.
• Bay Meadows remained open during World War II. In fact, the track was able to generate more than $4 million for War Relief Projects.
• Famous jockeys who have raced and called Bay Meadows home include Bill Shoemaker, John Longden, Ralph Neves and Russell Baze.

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