The November 2007 general election was supposed to be their chance. The Friends of Bay Meadows had promised that, after what happened in 2005 when no one opposed to razing the race track was on the ballot to run for a seat or two on the San Mateo City Council (two write-in candidates in the Friends’ camp were crushed as expected), their next opportunity to make a bold statement would not be wasted. That time is now. So what happened? Instead of coming forward, not a single bonafide anti-development individual has emerged to challenge incumbent councilmen Jack Matthews and John Lee. Not one. All of the bluster, all of the hoopla, all of the media tweaking of the last two years turned out to be nothing more than empty air. It’s rather surprising. The Friends appeared to be getting close to a grassroots movement of sorts. But it never took off. A charismatic, committed leader, or leaders, never emerged. Neither did the necessary dollars to mount a campaign. It didn’t help that the fate of Bay Meadows’ remaining 83 acres of prime land near the Hillsdale Shopping Center was made considerably easier by the fact that attendance for racing is nothing like it was a generation ago. The race track’s allure is long-gone. The community does not appear to be moved by what seems to be a done deal. There are yawns all around. There is one more legal appeal pending on the matter of forcing a referendum on the issue. But that is probably a stretch at this point. The Friends, for all practical purposes, have failed. Their support is thin at best. The wrecking ball is closer than ever.