Situated in the San Francisco Bay Area, the San Mateo horseracing track Bay Meadows is one of America’s most beloved sporting arenas. It also boasts the distinction of being the longest continually open thoroughbred racing track in the state of California. Its history dates back to the year 1934.

The long-running stakes event, the Bay Meadows Handicap, was started in the year 1937. William P. Kyne introduced pari-mutuel wagering here. Bay Meadows was fortunate enough to survive the Second World War. During the war years, the track earned over four million dollars, which it donated to War Relief efforts.

The race season at Bay Meadows traditionally begins in the month of August. The San Mateo County Fair part of the meet lasts for two weeks. After a short break, which is meant to avoid conflict with the California State Horse fair race, the racing continues around Labor Day weekend. This is when the main thoroughbred meet takes place. It is divided into two sections – autumn and spring/summer – with Golden Gate Fields holding a meet in the winter/spring period.

While Bay Meadows currently focuses exclusively on thoroughbred racing, in the past it has been known to host other horse racing events, such as harness racing and quarter horse racing. But as these types of meets have proven to be not very profitable, they do not take place currently.

In the recent past, there has been talk of demolishing Bay Meadows in order to build a brand new race track somewhere near Dixon, California. Since these plans have no yet come to fruition, Bay Meadows remains open on a year-to-year basis.

In 2005, the San Mateo city council adopted the Bay Meadows Phase II Specific Plan Amendment. It calls for the development of office space, residential units, retail space, and public parks near the site of the old Caltrain Bay Meadows station.

The year 2006 came to a rousing close at Bay Meadows, when jockey Russell Baze won a fourth race, making him the most winning rider in the history of thoroughbred horse racing, beating out Laffit Pincay, Jr.’s previous record.