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The Sports Report: Golden Gate Fields will shut down at end of year

Horse racing at Golden Gate Fields during the COVID shutdown in 2020.
(Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)
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Howdy, I’m your host, Houston Mitchell. Let’s get right to the news.

From John Cherwa: In a major move that will change California horse racing, The Stronach Group announced Sunday that it will cease racing at Golden Gate Fields in the Bay Area at the end of its meeting on Dec. 19.

The move is being made to help prop up racing at Santa Anita by increasing field sizes and the possibility of adding a fourth day of racing back to the Arcadia track.

It’s unclear what will happen to the land that straddles Albany and Berkeley, but one possibility is that it could become either a state park or an open green space. Other possibilities have not been ruled out.

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“We believe that the future success of racing depends on a business model that encourages investment in Southern California, one of North America’s premier racing circuits,” said Belinda Stronach, chief executive and president of The Stronach Group.

“Focusing on Santa Anita Park and San Luis Rey Downs as a state-of-the-art racing and training facilities that offer enhanced program quality, increased race days, expanded wagering opportunities, and premier hospitality and entertainment experiences is vital to ensuring that California racing can continue to compete and thrive on a national level.”

Stronach conceded it will be a hardship for many in Northern California, including some employees who have worked at the track for almost half a century.

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“The Stronach Group is committed to honoring labor obligations and developing a meaningful transition plan.” Stronach said.

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DODGERS

From Jack Harris: After waiting all day to begin the game, it took until the 10th inning Sunday for it to finally end.

With the Dodgers and New York Mets tied in a series finale delayed almost four hours by rain at Citi Field, Mets pinch-hitter Luis Guillorme squared around to bunt twice to lead off the bottom of the 10th, but took two strikes.

On the third pitch, with the Dodgers infield still playing in, Guillorme swung.

The result: A walk-off double that snuck between Freddie Freeman and the first-base line to give the Mets a 2-1 walk-off win. The loss ended the Dodgers’ winning streak at six games.

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NL WEST STANDINGS

Dodgers, 53-39
San Francisco, 52-41, 1.5 GB
Arizona, 52-42, 2 GB
San Diego, 44-50, 10 GB
Colorado, 36-58, 18 GB

WILD-CARD STANDINGS
top three teams qualify

San Francisco, 52-41
Miami, 53-42
Arizona, 52-42
Philadelphia, 51-42, 0.5 GB
Cincinnati, 50-44, 2 GB
San Diego, 44-50, 8 GB
Chicago, 43-49, 8 GB
New York, 43-50, 8.5 GB

ANGELS

From Sarah Valenzuela: There were no final-at-bat heroics for the Angels on Sunday.

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Kyle Tucker hit a solo home run in the ninth, then ended the game on a spectacular diving catch to preserve a 9-8 victory over an Angels squad that has lost 11 of its last 13 games.

Shohei Ohtani hit his 34th home run of the season in the ninth to make it a one-run game, but it wasn’t enough after the Angels’ bullpen squandered a 7-3 lead.

Angels starter Tyler Anderson struggled, needing 35 pitches to get through his first inning. The Astros (52-42) got on the board when Tucker hit an RBI single. Anderson’s game was over after the third inning, but not before he got out of a bases-loaded jam. Anderson gave up five hits, one run, walked two and struck out five over 85 pitches.

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There have been many versions of the Angels this season. Which one will Yankees face?

AL WEST STANDINGS

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Texas, 55-39
Houston, 52-42, 3 GB
Seattle, 46-46, 8 GB
Angels, 46-48, 9 GB
Oakland, 25-70, 30.5 GB

WILD-CARD STANDINGS
top three teams qualify

Baltimore, 57-35
Toronto, 53-41
Houston, 52-42
New York, 50-44, 2 GB
Boston, 50-44, 2 GB
Seattle, 46-46, 5 GB
Angels, 46-48, 6 GB
Cleveland, 45-48, 6.5 GB

WIMBLEDON

Carlos Alcaraz said he wanted another shot at Novak Djokovic. Said it would make winning a Wimbledon championship more special. Well, Alcaraz got his chance to face Djokovic. And he beat him.

Alcaraz put aside a poor start and surged down the stretch to end Djokovic’s 34-match winning streak at the All England Club by edging him 1-6, 7-6 (6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 in an engaging, back-and-forth final Sunday, claiming his first title at Wimbledon and second Grand Slam trophy overall.

The No. 1-ranked Alcaraz prevented No. 2 Djokovic from collecting what would have been a record-tying eighth title, and fifth in a row, at the grass-court tournament. Djokovic also was kept from earning a 24th career major.

Elliott: Learner Tien’s rise has tennis world noticing Southern California left-hander

SOCCER

Santiago Giménez scored after an electrifying sprint in the 88th minute, and Mexico won the CONCACAF Gold Cup for the record ninth time with a 1-0 victory over Panama on Sunday night.

After Edson Álvarez slid to block Iván Anderson’s cross in the Mexico penalty area, Orbelín Pineda dribbled away and made a tremendous pass into the center circle. Giménez, a 22-year-old Feyenoord forward, dribbled past Harold Cummings and outraced Cummings and Fidel Escobar into the penalty area. Giménez scuffed a bouncing left-foot shot over goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera for his fourth goal in 18 international appearances and his second of the tournament.

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The goal by the Argentina-born Giménez, who came on as a substitute only three minutes earlier, set off a frenzied celebration at SoFi Stadium, packed with fans celebrating Mexico’s dramatic revival in this biennial CONCACAF tournament.

SPORTS ON TV

Local teams on TV today:
All times Pacific

4 p.m., Dodgers at Baltimore, Sportsnet LA

6:30 p.m., NY Yankees at Angels, Bally Sports West

Women’s World Cup schedule: Start times for every match and how to watch

The rest of today’s sports on TV listings can be found here.

THIS DATE IN SPORTS

1939 — Henry Picard beats Byron Nelson 1-up in 37 holes to win the PGA championship.

1941 — Joe DiMaggio’s hitting streak of 56 games is stopped by Al Smith and Jim Bagby of the Indians before 67,000 at Cleveland.

1955 — Beverly Hanson beats Louise Suggs by three strokes in a playoff to capture the first LPGA championship.

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1966 — Jim Ryun becomes the first American to hold the record in the mile since 1937. With a time of 3:51.3 at Berkeley, Calif., Ryun shatters Michel Jazy’s mark of 3:53.6 by 2.3 seconds.

1974 — Bob Gibson strikes out Cesar Geronimo of the Reds in the second inning to become the second pitcher in major league history to record 3,000 strikeouts.

1979 — Sebastian Coe breaks the world record in the mile with a time of 3:48.95 in Oslo, Norway. The time is rounded up to 3:49.

1983 — Tom Watson wins his second straight and fifth career British Open title. Watson shoots a 9-under 275 at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England to finish one stroke ahead of Andy Bean and Hale Irwin.

1990 — Minnesota becomes the first team in major league history to pull off two triple plays in one game, but it isn’t enough to overcome Boston as the Red Sox beat the Twins 1-0.

1994 — Brazil wins a record fourth World Cup soccer title, taking the first shootout in championship game history over Italy.

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2005 — Tiger Woods records another ruthless performance at St. Andrews, closing with a 2-under 70 to win the British Open for his 10th career major. He wins by five shots, the largest margin in any major since Woods won by eight at St. Andrews five years ago. He joins Jack Nicklaus as the only players to win the career Grand Slam twice.

2006 — Stacey Nuveman and Lovieanne Jung each homer to power the United States to the World Cup of Softball title with a 5-2 victory over Japan.

2011 — Japan stuns the United States in a riveting Women’s World Cup final, winning 3-1 on penalty kicks after coming from behind twice in a 2-2 tie. Goalkeeper Ayumi Kaihori makes two brilliant saves in the shootout. Japan, making its first appearance in the final of a major tournament, hadn’t beaten the Americans in their first 25 meetings.

2011 — Darren Clarke gives Northern Ireland another major championship, winning the British Open by three strokes over Americans Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson.

2016 — Henrik Stenson shoots an 8-under 63 to beat Phil Mickelson by three strokes, becoming the first man from Sweden to win the British Open.

—Compiled by the Associated Press

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Until next time...

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com, and follow me on Twitter at @latimeshouston. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

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