SAN MATEO, Calif. (KCBS)  --  The winningest jockey in the history of horse racing rode one last mount to the winner's circle at Bay Meadows yesterday as a farewell on the final day of regular racing at the San Mateo horse track.

"It seems like we're a sport that is kind of in a crisis right now, and hopefully somebody will step forward and come up with a way to attract fans back to the races," said Russel Baze. 

Some big names in horse racing have raced around the track at Bay Meadows during its seventy years in operation, including Silky Sullivan, Citation, and legendary Seabiscut, who won back to back "Bay Meadows Handicaps," which was one of the richest races in the country back in 1938.

"It's been talked about and rumoured for about ten years, that there's going to be a development, and now we're finally facing the fact," said long-time Bay Area horse racing announcer Sam Spear, who says the land will become a housing development.

Bay Meadows was an innovator with the first photo finish camera and the first starting gate. Some of the betters from long ago include Betty Grable and Mickey Rooney

KCBS' Doug Sovern reports