The Golden Gate Fields Turf Stakes was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Golden Gate Fields in Albany, California. The race was open to horses four-year-olds and up willing to race one and three-eighth miles on the turf and offered a purse of $250,000 at its last running.
First run on October 18, 1947 as the Golden Gate Handicap, the inaugural race was won by Triplicate owned by Fred Astaire and ridden by future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Johnny Longden.
Over the years it was given a number of different names:
- Golden Gate Fields Turf Stakes : 2008-2009
- Golden Gate Fields Breeders' Cup Stakes : 2007
- Golden Gate Fields Handicap : 2006
- Stanford Breeders' Cup Handicap : 2005 (at Bay Meadows)
- Golden Gate Breeders' Cup Handicap : 2001-2003
- Golden Gate Handicap : 1947 - 2000
The race has been run at a number of distances; 1 1⁄4 miles from 1947-1950, 1952, 1955 and 1959-1961. It was run at 1 1⁄8 miles in 1951, 1954, 1956-1958, 1965-1967, 1993, 1997, 2001-2004 and 2006.
Records
Speed record:
- 1 3⁄8 miles - 2:13.00 - John Henry (1984)
- 1 1⁄8 miles - 1:46.28 - Adreamisborn (2005)
Most wins by a jockey:
- 4 - Russell Baze (1982, 2000, 2005 & 2009)
Winners of the Golden Gate Fields Turf Stakes
References
