Having split North America into two distinct countries – United States and Canada – the review of Canadian racetracks will be undertaken first on a province by province basis. This is the fourth article dealing with the province of Ontario, Canada’s busiest as regards harness racing.
There are eighteen racetracks in the Province of Ontario of which fifteen are Standardbred; one is Thoroughbred; one is Thoroughbred and Standardbred combined, and the other is Quarter-horse. Ontario has more race dates than any other jurisdiction in North America. Horse racing is a year round sport, with both live racing in the Province and simulcast racing brought in from other jurisdictions.
ONTARIO’S CURRENT RACETRACKS – series A
Clinton Raceway –
The half mile harness racing track features a combination of live harness, simulcast racing and a casino, located in Beech Street in the charming small town of Clinton (population little over three thousand) in the municipality of Central Huron.
The first major meeting at the track was started by Clinton Kinsmen in 1970 with the introduction of pari-mutuel betting. The Clinton Kinsmen decided to hand the reins over to a board of directors in March 1983 when a non-profit organisation Clinton Raceway Inc was formed. An average of fifteen meetings are held each season from May to September with post time being 1.30pm.
Track facilities include stabling for thirty two horses and paddock space for one hundred horses on busy race days. Track seating for over 5,000 patrons plus parking for 500 vehicles is available. The stone dust half mile track accommodates seven sulkies wide with one trailer behind the starting gate, having a speed rating of 2:03.1 and using the United Tote system with telephoto finishes to determine the finishing order. The Raceway Café offers a selection of meals and there is a swimming pool for patrons use.
Clinton Raceway is open daily for simulcast racing and casino gambling. OLG (Ontario Lottery and Gaming) Slots at Clinton Raceway has more than 100 machines in the casino, the majority of which are 25 cent and 5 cent machines.
An annual feature of racing at Clinton Raceway is the Drivers Challenge which celebrated forty years of competition on Sunday 6 September 2020. The Charity Driver’s Challenge is held in support of the Clinton branch of the Royal Canadian Legion.
The 2020 edition of the Charity Driver’s Challenge featured the top five money earning reinsmen in Canada – Bob McClure, Doug McNair, Sylvain Filion, Jody Jamieson and Trevor Henry together with the top three drivers from the 2020 Clinton Raceway season – Brett MacDonald, Austin Sorrie and Travis Henry.
Filion headed into the challenge as the reigning champion and Jamieson, Henry and McNair having all won multiple titles, meaning McClure is the only Woodbine Mohawk Park regular without a win in the charity event. Drivers competed in eight races earning points based on their finishing position in each race. The top point’s earner is declared champion along with the Clinton Legion which received all the driver commissions generated in the eight races.
Clinton’s leading reinsman Brett MacDonald triumphed in the Charity Driver’s Challenge, which raised over $7,000 for the Clinton Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion. Through the eight driver’s challenge races and four Grassroots divisions, Clinton Raceway fans wagered a total of $118,041, an all-time high for the half-mile oval. Over $330,000 has been raised over the years that the charity event has been held, thanks to horse people that bring the horses to be driven and the drivers that donated their earnings.
Dresden Raceway –
Dresden is an agricultural community located on the Sydenham River in southwestern Ontario, part of the municipality of Chatham-Kent. The major crops in the area are wheat, soybeans, rubber trees, corn and tomatoes.
Dresden Raceway is the only harness racing facility in the municipality featuring a half track and modern grandstand facility. Serving as a training facility for young pacers and trotters, it was also home to the Dresden Slots operated by Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Limited that have since moved to Chatham as Cascades Casino.
Like many of the small Canadian tracks, Dresden Raceway’s history traces back approximately one hundred and fifty years to when men would race their horses for bragging rights after church – match racing. A group of men including Jack Martin, George Deacon, Jack Latimer, Ray Unsworth and others got together and built the track where it currently stands. The original grandstand was located exactly opposite where the grandstand sits now on the south side of the track. Dresden’s first night trotting meeting was held on 23 July 1966. In 1976 the Dresden Agricultural Society held the grand opening of its new and current grandstand on the north side of the track which has recently been reroofed.
Dresden raced four nights a week in the 1980’s handling $80,000-$100,000 on average nights and between $100,000-$120,000 on good nights. Some of the best all time drivers like Levi “Jiggs” McFadden, Shelley Goodreau, John Campbell, Dave Wall and Kevin Wallis raced regularly at Dresden Raceway. McFadden headlined a legendary group that raced there including Wilf Duford, Elwin Dell and Dunc Campbell. Top trainer Bob McIntosh often brought two year olds to Dresden for their first races, among them was Hall of Fame Immortal Camluck. Other greats to have started their careers at Dresden’s oval include Apaches Fame and A Worthy Lad who tied Cam Fella’s record of twenty eight consecutive victories there.
Windsor Raceway operated Dresden Raceway for many years during the 1990’s and into the new millennium but the Dresden Agricultural Society again now have control of the facility. The track had a five-year deal with Ontario Lottery and gaming to operate through 2021. Live racing takes place from May to August with approximately a dozen meetings annually. The track offers free parking, full Service dining, HPIBET (Horse Player interactive betting) location, Licensed Bar, Snack bar and simulcast broadcasting from May onwards.
Flamboro Downs –
Hamilton, Ontario is home to a half mile track at Flamboro Downs as well an auto race track, Flamboro Speedway. Flamboro Downs is known for its trots, slots and jackpots.
Hamilton is a port and industrialized city in the Golden Horseshoe at the west end of Lake Ontario with a population of over half a million while its census metropolitan area including Burlington and Grimsby has a population close to eight hundred thousand. Hamilton is 58 kms (36 miles) southwest of Toronto in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area.
Opened on 9 April 1975, Flamboro Downs is located on 220 acres on Highway #5 west, between highways 6 and 8 and is renowned as Canada’s fastest half mile track. Racing is conducted from September to May and during 2022 was set down for three days a week from January to May and four days a week from September to December – COVID 19 willing. Typically live racing at Flamboro Downs consists of ten or eleven races and often more. Admission and parking is free for patrons.
Flamboro Downs is open every day from 11:00 am to 3:00 am with simulcast viewing on dedicated TV monitors and betting on both thoroughbred and standardbred racing from other tracks across North America available daily from 12 noon. Simulcasts of harness racing from Fraser Downs, British Columbia can be viewed in the evening from Thursdays to Saturdays. The Sports Emporium is open for both live and simulcast racing being a HIPBET location while the Pavilion Food Court is open from 8am until midnight seven days a week. The raceway is also connected to an off-track betting network offering racing from teletheatres in Hamilton, Brantford, Burlington and Stoney Creek. Flamboro’s casino has seven hundred and fifty two slot machines on premises, the Sun Bar, a licensed Patio and Bar is located inside the casino.
A 7,000 seat capacity climate controlled grandstand incorporates a range of dining options such as The Top O’ The Turn Dining Room with its spectacular, panoramic view of live evening racing; the Pavilion Restaurant Trackside Buffet; meals and snacks at the Deli, and Pavilion Food Court.
Tiered Buffet Dining Room
The seasonal racing calendar features prestigious races such as the Ontario Sire Stakes, Flamboro Downs Breeders Stakes and Confederation Cup. Whilst run for four year olds since 2015, the Confederation Cup was contested by three year olds between 1977 – 2012 with notable winners included Abercrombie, Cam Fella, On the Road Again, Whats Next, Jate Lobell, Matts Scooter, Apaches Fame, Village Jasper, Art Major, American Ideal and track record holder Somebeachsomewhere.
Georgian Downs –
Innisfil is located on the western shore of Lake Simcoe in Simcoe County, immediately south of Barrie and 80 kms north of Toronto. Historically a rural area it is geographically sandwiched between the high growth areas of Barrie area and York Region meaning greater residential development in Innisfil.
There have been two tracks located in Innisfil, the first of which was Barrie Raceway, a half mile track that opened on 19 December 1973 before closing in 2001. Replaced by the 5/8ths mile Georgian Downs harness racetrack and casino located on the 5th Sideroad near the Highway 400 interchange at Innisfil Beach Road. Georgian Downs Racetrack and Slots features live harness racing plus a 50,000 square foot casino floor with over 1,000 slot machines and four restaurants. Opened for harness racing on 13 November 2001 featuring live racing from June to August annually.
During 2022 racing was set down for three days a week on Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays with a total of thirty eight meetings planned – COVID 19 willing. Typically live racing at Georgian Downs commences after 7pm (6pm Sundays) and concludes around 11pm dependent on the number of races run with twenty to twenty five minute gaps between races. Admission and parking is free to patrons.
Facilities offered to patrons include the Racetrack Slots daily throughout the year open from 9:00 am until 3:00 am and for twenty four hours on weekends. There are four hundred slot games to choose from including Triple Double Diamond, Cleopatra, Wheel of Fortune and Texas Tea together with over one thousand slot machines. The prestigious Governor’s Room Clubhouse offers exquisite dining and light snacks to patrons. Refreshments can be purchased in the track’s lounges and bars. Other facilities provided include ATM’s, gift store, coat check and free shuttle from certain spots in Barrie. Simulcasts of racing from other tracks Monday – Thursday after 5pm, Friday – Sunday after 12pm, open 363 days a year with a betting teller available.
Georgian Downs signature event is the Honourable Earl Rowe Memorial Trot held late in the season as part of the track’s Customer Appreciation Night. The edition on 27 August 2016 established an all age track and Canadian record for a five eights mile track when Lookslikeachpndale driven by Paul MacDonell, for trainer Luc Blais and owner Determination of Montreal, Quebec trotted the mile in T1:51.3 to win the $100,000 event (equalled by Forbidden Trade 22 August 2021). Fans also witnessed Muscle Hustle’s establish a three year old trotting colt record of T1:52.2.
Pacing records at Georgian Downs on 2 July 2011 included 3yo colt Watermelonwine’s 1:49.2 when driven by Jody Jamieson who later that month represented Canada in the 2011 World Drivers Championship in New York (dual world champion 2001 and 2011). Aged pacing records set at Georgian Downs include Betterthancheddar’s entires record 1:49.1 set on 19 May 2012 and the overall track record of 1:49.0 held by gelding Big Time Ball (30 June 2009) and entire Tattoo Artist (22 August 2021).
The third round of the 2017 World Drivers Championship held in Canada were raced at Georgian Downs on Tuesday evening 15 August 2017. Winners of heats run over mile on Georgian Downs 5/8 mile track were James MacDonald (Canada; two; ultimate winner of Championship), Marcus Miller (USA), Eirik Hoitomt (Norway) and Shane Graham (Australia).
Grand River Raceway –
Grand River Riverway in Elora is the successor to Elmira Raceway built on the same premises and opening for live racing on 3 December 2003. Located in the north western corner of Ontario in scenic Elora, Grand River Raceway is a short drive from the village’s historic downtown and minutes from Guelph and Kitchener-Waterloo. Elora is known for its nineteenth century limestone architecture and geographically significant Elora Gorge.
The half mile Grand River Raceway offers award winning seasonal live harness racing (summer), year-round simulcasts of racing from across North America, gaming, dining and entertainment featuring a vast array of events. Offering Meetings & Events Services, with rentals of the many rooms and spaces for business events, conferences, parties, complemented by in-house catering. In 2016 Grand River Raceway won an esteemed Business Excellence Award from the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce that recognised the Raceway’s contribution to local tourism and the hospitality industry. Plans to expand Grand River Raceway to a 5/8ths mile oval were outlined in a Harness Racing Update article of 18 July 2021.
The property and facilities are owned and operated by the Grand River Agricultural Society, GRAS a not-for-profit corporation, incorporated under the Agricultural and Horticultural Societies Act of Ontario and operated by a volunteer board of directors reporting to Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, OMAFRA. The GRAS mandate is to encourage awareness of agriculture and to promote improvements in the quality of life of persons living in an agricultural community.
Grand River Raceway features live harness racing most Monday, Wednesday and Friday nights from June through September annually. Admission and car parking is free with supervised children welcome. Most race nights commence at 6:30pm, concluding by 10pm offering ten to twelve races. The 2021 season for example began on 2 June running all summer through until 24 September – exceptions being Monday 2 August 12.30pm post time for thirty first annual Industry Day; no racing Wednesday 27 August, Monday 6 September.
Simulcasting of both harness and thoroughbred racing seven days/nights a week from 12 midday to 11pm is available in the Captain’s Quarters and 2nd Floor Lobby. Simulcasting of Grand River raceways programme commenced in 1997 under the auspices of its predecessor Elmira Raceway.
The Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG) Slots at Grand River Raceway opened in 2002 with two hundred slot machines which subsequently increased to two hundred and thirty. The GRAS leases space to the OLG for the slot machines for whom OLG is the operator and employer for the slots gaming operation. The Elements Casino Grand River operates twenty four hours a day, seven days a week.
Plans for a substantial expansion were approved by Township Council in February 2017 adding gaming tables (up to 52) and slot machines (up to 1200 in total) although some councillors strongly opposed the plan. The rationale for the majority decision was the revenue benefit to the township; since opening the casino, the Raceway and OLG had paid the township over $22 million casino from the relatively small slot machine operation.
The Elements Casino Grand River’s newly expanded gaming floor features five hundred slot machines ranging from 1c to $5 plus popular titles Quick Hit Triple Blazing Sevens Wild Jackpot, Dragon Celebration, Enchanted Unicorn, Lion Festival, Gold Fish Deluxe and Player’s World together with table games of electronic roulette, baccarat, sic bo and blackjack.
Several dining options ranging from a trackside BBQ to buffet dining overlooking the racetrack are available The Raceway is also a popular dinner and entertainment destination for groups and celebrations.
Captain’s Quarters
The race night buffet including race programme is offered in the Captains Quarters tiered dining room overlooking the racecourse with TV’s at every table and betting tellers nearby. The dining room on race nights opens at 5:30pm with the buffet dinner served from 6:00pm and available until 8.30pm (race start/post time is 6:30pm).
The Captain’s Quarters is accessed by staircase or elevator in the main building with reservations strongly recommended.
The barn is strictly for racing industry members who hold an Ontario Racing Commission license. However, groups of twelve or more people who book their evenings in the Captain’s Quarters have the option of including a guided tour of the Paddock in their group package.
Lighthouse Restaurant
The Lighthouse Restaurant & Patio offers a concession style restaurant with nightly specials and fresh home cooked meals located steps away from the main building. Meals and beverages can be partaken inside or on the licensed patio with views of the racetrack. On race nights there is a tarmac BBQ where you can enjoy dinner and an alcoholic beverage trackside.
Getaway Restaurant
Open all year, the Getaway Restaurant offers a wide range of a la carte dishes and Sunday Brunch. The full-service restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. A grab and go menu is available 9:00am to 1:00am Sunday to Thursday and 24 hours on Friday and Saturday.
Race nights often feature special events. The Tarmac Show is offered each night inviting guests and broadcast viewers to win, learn and laugh between the races. The Tarmac Show ballots are entered in the ballot boxes located in the Captain’s Quarters or The First Turn Tent. These ballots are used for Tarmac Show games, prizes and the famous cheerleader’s race participants. Rides on the mobile gate or starting car rides are often part of the evening’s entertainment, not always available.
Feature races at Grand River Raceway apart from Ontario Sires Stakes Gold events – age, sex, pacers and trotters are the principal two year races of the Battle of Waterloo for colts – implemented in 2004 with Somebeachsomewhere winner in 2007 and the Battle of Belles for fillies – implemented in 2010, both races being held as part of the track’s annual Industry Day event.
Next Article : Current Ontario tracks – series B
Peter Craig
15 June 2022
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
