Magna Entertainment Corp. has begun construction of an equine hospital at Golden Gate Fields, addressing a need of the Bay Area racehorse population that has existed for six years. The 4,000 square-foot building, which will include surgical prep and operating rooms, x-ray facilities, a laboratory, and an intensive care site, will be situated just south of the Golden Gate grandstand. It replaces the Bay Meadows hospital lost in 1996 when that track's barn area was relocated after the backstretch was sold for development.

Construction of a hospital was part of the signed agreement negotiated between Magna and the Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC) when the company sought to purchase Golden Gate Fields in late 1999.

Jim Ghidella, TOC's Northern California deputy director, was particularly happy that the project was finally off the drawing board.

"I've been pushing this for a long time," Ghidella said at Friday's groundbreaking ceremony.

Ghidella noted that original plans for the hospital placed it in the stable area, which is within the city limits of Berkeley. But getting approval from that city was a very slow process —the first construction application was denied — so the location was changed.

"I suggested moving it slightly north, across city lines into neighboring Albany," Ghidella said. "They outsource their review process in a much more streamlined manner."

The hospital will be run by local veterinarians, through a nonprofit organization called MESH (Mobile Equine Surgical Hospital). The doctors will be responsible for administration, maintenance, equipment, and supplies. TOC will also make contributions to the hospital's upkeep, Ghidella said.

According to a Magna spokesman, cost to build the facility will be approximately $600,000; construction should be completed in seven months.

Peter Tunney, a vice president of Magna Entertainment, said that talks about a new hospital began while Ladbrokes still owned the property.

"It's something we really need here," Tunney said. "We only have a makeshift facility for minor surgery at the moment. Plus, an immediate diagnosis is so important for minimizing the effect of an injury to a horse."

"It will be so unstressful to bring a horse over a few hundred yards for an examination," added veterinarian Don Smith, "instead of having to van it 60 miles to (the University of California) Davis. And then [the horse] can go back to its own stall and own groom."—Jerry Klein