Ticker
  • From DRF (The Inside Post): Always in a Tiz will run in Belmont Stakes 2013.Posted 6 hours ago
  • Mucho Macho Man breezed 5f in 1:01.40 (4/11) at Fair Hill on 5-24. Posted 7 hours ago
  • Wise Dan targets the G2 Firecracker 'Cap at Churchill on June 29.  Posted 1 day ago
  • Jockey Chantal Sutherland will return to saddle at Del Mar. Posted 1 day ago
  • Itsmyluckyday to skip Belmont Stakes 2013 in favor of Pegasus Stakes on 6-16.  Posted 1 day ago
  • Rosie Napravnik will ride Code West in Belmont Stakes 2013. Posted 1 day ago
  • From DRF (The Inside Post): Mylute will not run in Belmont Stakes 2013. Posted 2 days ago
  • Eblouissante breezed 4f :49.17 (18/44) at Belmont (dirt Training) on 5-22. Posted 2 days ago
  • Giant Finish will make his next start in Belmont Stakes 2013. Posted 2 days ago
  • Unlimited Budget is expected to face males in Belmont Stakes 2013. Posted 4 days ago
Posted Monday, May 13, 2013
Master Game broke from the two hole in the 6 furlong race and after just a few steps into stride, made a quick left turn, crossing in front of the one horse, finally crashing into the temporary rail that blocks the sprinters from making the gap that leads to the clubhouse turn. Sanchez went down hard, hitting the rail and falling to a heap as Master Game continued on around the track. As with all accidents, I went over to the track doctors office to await Diego’s return. It did not happen. After what seemed like an eternity on the backside, Sanchez was transported directly to the hospital. That is never a good sign.
Posted Monday, May 06, 2013
The topic of after care is a hot topic of discussion these days in the horse racing industry. Thoroughbred horses go through so much during their racing career, they deserve a good life after. But these days, race horses do find their way to auctions which can lead to kill pens in Canada or Mexico.
Posted Monday, April 22, 2013
Golden Gate Fields General Manager Joe Morris announced late last week that he is stepping down to become the president of the Thoroughbred Owners of California. Morris came to GGF in October of 2011 when then GM Robert Hartman stepped down to pursue other endeavors. When he arrived he was given the term “interim”, basically because nobody knew how long he would be here.
Posted Sunday, April 14, 2013
Nobody at Golden Gate Fields will argue the fact that trainer Aggie Ordonez knows her stuff. Although she has just a limited number of horses, she has always had good success. Much of her “horse sense” came from her father Pete Anderson. Anderson, who as a jockey piloted the great Forego to a 4th place finish in the 1973 Kentucky Derby, passed away February 19th in his home state of Florida at the age of 82. He not only made his mark as a jockey but as a trainer. His big horse, Delightful Kiss made over $1 million with seven lifetime victories. Ordonez will now call on all her wisdom she got from her father, as she continues to excel as a northern California trainer. And lately, she has really been on a roll.
Posted Monday, April 08, 2013
Eleven fillies and mares went to post in the $50,000 Golden Poppy Stakes. Four of them were trained by hall of fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, including odds-on favorite, and seven time stakes winner, Halo Dolly. But when the gates opened, a 12-1 longshot named Luscious Lonna went right the front and never looked back. The 5-year-old by Benchmark out of Striking Gold, went wire-to-wire, finishing off a 2 ½ length win under wraps. Why was her victory so significant? You have to look at where she came from to appreciate what her and her connections accomplished. Lonna was claimed by trainer Nick Sloan for $6,250 out of her second career race.
Posted Tuesday, March 26, 2013
I wish I could start this off with, " We have reached the half way mark of the current Golden Gate Fields meeting”, but darn it, I missed it by a week. Oh well, close enough, eh? Let’s pretend shall we? We have reached the half way point of the current Golden Gate Fields meet and I think there is no better time to give you a few of my thoughts heading into the final 48 days of racing. Lets see…what’s on my mind.
Posted Wednesday, March 13, 2013
One of the fun things about hanging at the race track is seeing a familiar face make a return after a prolonged absence. Last week, many track goers were thrilled to say hello to a very popular and well respected visitor. Billie Klokstad, who together with her trainer husband Bud was a staple of thoroughbred racing from Washington to the bay area for well over 50 year, made her return to Golden Gate Fields last Friday, almost one year after the passing of her husband.
Posted Tuesday, February 26, 2013
On February 11th, Boag and her 5-year-old son, Diego were in her trailer. Her 12-year-old daughter Brooke, was out with friends, when Boag decided to take a nap. With Diego playing on the bed in the upper part of the trailer, Boag laid down in the lower part to take a nap. She wasn’t asleep long before she awoke to black smoke in the trailer.
Posted Thursday, February 14, 2013
Zeewat looks to win Northern California's major Kentucky Derby prep for the home team.
Posted Friday, February 01, 2013
Nearly six months after moving his tack to southern California, jockey Juan Hernandez has decided to return to Golden Gate Fields and will jump back in the saddle next Thursday, riding a pair of horses for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer as he tries to recapture the magic by the bay. Hernandez, who rode at GGF since arriving here from Mexico in 2009, was a top 4 rider each year, averaging 136 wins a year in both 2010 and 2011. Midway through last year, Hernandez and his agent Ramon Silva, decided to give southern California a shot.
First
Prev
Page 1 of 9
Next
Last

Meet Don August

I have been involved in horse racing, from a fan to sportswriter, for the past 30 years. The first time my dad took me to the track, I picked a horse named "Black Tornado" and when he won, I was hooked.  From then on, I spent weekends and occasional school days at the race track, and my enjoyment of the sport led me to try my hand at being a jockey agent, which i did for 3 years. When that didn't work out as I had hoped, I concentrated on my writing career by covering big races and doing summer fair handicapping, off and on, for the Contra Costa Times.

Today, I stay involved in the sport by being part of a group that currently owns two horses stabled at Golden Gate Fields. As all owners, we have dreams of someday having that special horse.  Besides writing about horse racing I enjoy covering many sports and have had the honor of meeting and writing about some incredible athletes.