Training restricted at thoroughbred tracks
Fort Erie, Woodbine backstretch only permitted to provide ‘essential care’
Thoroughbred racing in Ontario remains reined in, for the time being, the result of crowd restrictions prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Woodbine Racetrack’s season opener, originally set for Saturday, April 18, was postponed after the province ordered the closure of all non-essential businesses.
Meanwhile, the Fort Erie Race Track still hopes to open as scheduled on Tuesday, May 26.
Concerted efforts to contain the spread of the virus also resulted in the Toronto track postponing the Queen’s Plate. The first jewel in the Canadian thoroughbred racing’s triple crowd had been scheduled to take place June 27.
“Once we postponed the start of the season, it likely meant that the Queen’s Plate would also be postponed as certain races are required leading up to it so the three-year-old horses competing are ready for the longer distances,” Jim Lawson, Woodbine Entertainment chief executive officer, said in a statement.
He pointed out the Queen’s Plate is the oldest continuously run race in North America, “and we have every intention of keeping it that way.”
“As soon as we receive clarity on when the season will start, we will create a new stakes schedule and finalize a new date for the Queen’s Plate.”
At this point the 123rd season of racing at the Fort Erie track is still scheduled to get underway with a 4:20 p.m. post time May 26. However, Fort Erie’s signature event, the Prince of Wales Stakes, won’t be taking place Tuesday, July 21, in all likelihood.
As the second leg in the Canadian triple crown, the Prince of Wales is traditionally held three weeks after the Queen’s Plate.
“We are always in contact with Woodbine Racetrack. Once they have a date for the Queen’s Plate, we will be able to determine an appropriate date for the Prince of Wales Stakes,” said Antonietta Culic, manager of marketing and media relations.
“Until then, we will not have any more information about a possible date.”
There already are horses stabled along the backstretch at Woodbine and they will begin shipping into Fort Erie on Sunday, April 12.
“Right now, we have stall applications for more than 300 horses this season, which is slightly more than we had at this time last year,” Culic said.
She attributed the increase to the closure of tracks in the United States.
“Local trainers who race in the U.S. during the winter are looking to return home to Niagara with their horses, and they need a safe place for them to live.”
It isn’t business as usual for the trainers who already have their horses at Woodbine, nor will it be for the horsepeople who will soon be arriving at Fort Erie Race Track.
Only essential care, including exercise, is permitted under restrictions imposed by the Ontario government.
“We will not be offering timed workouts or starting gate training at this time,” Culic said. “Our priority right now is offering a place for our thoroughbreds to be cared for, as it is essential that they have a place to live and exercise.”
Lawson said training operations at the Woodbine backstretch will resume once the province allows non-essential businesses to reopen.
Woodbine also is the home track for the Breeders Stakes, the last leg in the triple crown, which is open to threeyear-olds foaled in Canada.
The Breeders Stakes usually takes place in mid-August, about three weeks after the Prince of Wales.
Canada’s triple crown is unique in that is contested at three different distances on three different race surfaces: The Queen’s Plate, 1-1/4 mile, Tapeta, a sand, fibre, rubber and wax mixture; Prince of Wales Stakes, 1-3/16 mile, dirt; Breeders Stakes, 1-1/2 mile, turf.
Twelve horses have won the triple crown, none since Wando completed the sweep in 2003.
“Our priority right now is offering a place for our thoroughbreds to be cared for, as it is essential that they have a place to live and exercise.” ANTONIETTA CULIC FORT ERIE RACE TRACK MARKETING AND MEDIA RELATIONS MANAGER