Bay Meadows
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 race tracks in America. It is also the longest continually operating race track 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 Track 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)
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 |
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 Meadows Handicap. 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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Race Track List
- Alameda Fair
- Aqueduct
- Arlington Park
- Balmoral Park
- Bay Meadows
- Belmont Park
- Beulah Park
- Big Fresno Fair
- Breeders' Cup
- Breeders' Cup Futures
- Cal Expo
- Calder Race Course
- Charles Town Races
- Churchill Downs
- Del Mar
- Delaware Park
- Delta Downs
- Dover Downs Raceway
- Downs at Albuquerque
- Ellis Park
- Emerald Downs
- Evangeline Downs
- Fairplex Park
- Ferndale
- Finger Lakes
- Fort Erie
- Golden Gate Fields
- Great Lakes Downs
- Gulfstream Park
- Harrington Raceway
- Hastings Racecourse
- Hawthorne Race Course
- Hazel Park
- Hollywood Park
- Hoosier Park
- Indiana Downs
- Keeneland
- Laurel Park
- Lone Star Park
- Louisiana Downs
- Maywood Park
- Meadowlands
- Mohawk
- Monmouth Park
- Monticello Raceway
- Mountaineer Race Track
- Northfield Park
- Oaklawn Park
- Penn National
- Philadelphia Park
- Pimlico Race Course
- Plainridge Racecourse
- Pocono Downs
- Pompano Park
- Prairie Meadows
- Remington Park
- Retama Park
- River Downs
- Rockingham Park
- Sam Houston Race Park
- San Mateo County Fair
- Santa Anita Park
- Saratoga
- Scioto Downs
- Sonoma Country Fair
- Suburban Downs
- Suffolk Downs
- The Meadows
- The Red Mile
- Thistledown
- Timonium Race Course
- Turf Paradise
- Turfway Park
- Woodbine Race Track
- Yavapai Downs
- Yonkers Raceway