NEW ERA FOR THE DERBY
Everything has changed: Jone
Brace yourselves.
Whether you end up loving it or hating it, the 90th running of the Canadian Derby will be like none ever held before.
It’s not in the same place. It’s not over the same distance. It’s not even on the same day of the week.
There will be no fans in tents in the Century Mile infield because the grass was recently seeded, and with the endless rain this summer, can’t handle the traffic.
There will be next to no fans in the stands because … well, because the new track located at Edmonton International Airport is a “racino,” not a traditional racetrack, and there are no stands to speak of. For this year, at least. Building temporary bleachers or permanent stands somewhere hasn’t been contemplated.
Are you ready for a Canadian Derby with food trucks and shuttle buses for late-arriving punters?
How about an exotic new 20-cent Pick-4 combining two races at Toronto’s Woodbine and Edmonton’s Century Mile?
A free draw for a chance to be one of a dozen fans included in a $1,000 bet on the 12 Canadian Derby horses?
Are you ready for renowned Santa Anita bugle boy Jay Cohen working an expected 10-race card with an average of 10 horses per race and a rare full 12-horse starting gate on Sunday’s Derby Day, following an almost similarly packed program Saturday after a season of five- and six-horse fields and seven-race cards?
Details on all that will be revealed Wednesday morning at the draw for post positions and news conference at the only mile-long track west of Woodbine.
Managing director of racing Paul Ryneveld has already delivered the following guarantee: “Both days will be the best racing of the year.”
Ryneveld wants no confusion when it comes to the dramatic differences involved for the fans who go to the races one day a year, on Canadian Derby day, and have yet to make their first visit to the track located between the Redtail Landing Golf Club and the airport itself, with the new shopping malls and stores on one side and a cannabis growing operation on the other.
“One thing I cannot emphasize enough. It will not be a replication of Derby Day at Northlands, but a new era of the Canadian Derby. We’ll keep it simple the first year and build upon that,” said Ryneveld.
Will you love it? Hate it? Or reserve opinion until they get a chance to evaluate and come back and rebuild and redesign both the event and to some extent maybe even the facility next year?
Like it or lump it, it’s the one annual horse race in these parts that matters, and has been the major staple event on the Western Canada horse racing calendar for almost a century, and it’s getting ready to go to the gate braced for great debate.
With the birth of the new facility, the track itself has resulted in the end of the era in terms of the gruelling mile and three-eighths race that had given it a special identity.
On a mile track, you would have to start a mile and three eighths race on a corner. So it will be run at a distance of a mile and a quarter, the same distance as the Kentucky Derby and next week’s Travers Stakes in Saratoga, with the start of the race at the top of the home stretch that would take the horses past the grandstands twice … if there were grandstands.
Deciding to go Sunday instead of Saturday illustrates the dramatically different philosophy at play at the new track.
“One of the main reasons for going Sunday is that it will put the race away from all the other big races that are scheduled around North America on the Saturday. In theory, we’ll stand out, versus being lost in all the clutter against bigger racing circuits,” said Ryneveld of the $250,000 rated race.
To this point, traditional Saturday afternoon racing has brought out bigger crowds to the new track than the switch this year from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon.
“Yes, when the weather is good, we have had great crowds on Saturday,” said Ryneveld. “But Father’s Day and our Sunday Family Day both drew over
4,000. And interestingly, our best days for total handle have all been on Sundays.”
The idea of switching to Sunday is also to provide more of a double whammy weekend, to attract people from out of town to stay in all the hotels in the area, and maybe spend Saturday evening in the casino.
“This is a bit of an experiment, and yes, we like the idea of a buildup and making Saturday a substantial day of racing, as well,” said Ryneveld. “This year, both days will be the best racing days of the year.”
Century Mile is getting creative in providing something new in an entirely new direction.
“I don’t know if a Pick-4 was ever promoted in the Daily Racing Form across North America before, but our $25,000 guaranteed Pick-4 will be. We’re partnering with our friends in Toronto for a Woodbine/century Mile Pick 4 where two races at Woodbine will be tied together in a sequence to two races at Century Mile for the 20-cent minimum wager,” said Ryneveld.
The promotions promise to be fun.
“The Derby Dollars Draw will take place throughout the race card,” said marketing manager Marina Law. “We’ll select 12 winners, one for each horse in the Canadian Derby. For the contest, it’s a literal wagering voucher. If you win, you take your winning bet to the teller for cash.”
Each of the 12 people drawn will be part of the proceedings in the paddock, where they’ll receive an envelope with the $1,000 bet ticket on the horse they’ve been matched with.
They’ll also have another draw taking place at 8 p.m. inside the casino that will tie in with it being getaway day for the thoroughbreds and which combines the track’s Airport City neighbours in the promotion.
“It’s our Away You Go draw with the winner receiving a travel package that includes a $2,500 Westjet voucher, a luggage set and Jetset parking,” said Law.
Law added the planning for Derby Day is based on an expectation of drawing 8,000 fans.
“We’re confident that the tents and other VIP ticket options will accommodate the crowd. The same seating with benches and picnic tables out on the apron, but we’re looking at bringing in some additional seating there,” said Law.
General outdoor apron admission remains free, as does parking outside of the VIP ticket holder. Reservations will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. When the lot is full, overflow parking will be directed at no charge to the Premium Outlet Collection Mall and Jetset Parking, with shuttle service beginning at noon.
The reason for no fans and tents in the infield this year is that, for the first half of the season, the infield was dirt. Instead of sod, they seeded. It now looks terrific, but won’t be ready to handle the traffic.
“Being so new, there are a few areas that we’ll be unable to use this year, but are looking forward to using next year — the biggest being the infield, ” said Law.
“Between the grass not being ready and the amount of rain we got this summer, using the infield would have been too difficult.
The challenge was to create great options and we hope we’ve done that.
“We created a series of tents located to the south of the building and the outdoor apron. From there, people get a good view of the track, from the open viewing area along the rail with a barbecue and luncheon.”
And, of course, there’s the big screen video board to add to the view of the majority of fans who will find various sitting and standing locations on the apron. They’ll also have four executive outdoor 20-person group purchase cabanas.
“We created an outdoor beer garden near the paddock and winner’s circle. It’s an age-restricted location with access to outdoor seating, open viewing near the rail, and private food and beverage options,” said Law.
There are 200 built-in grandstand seats, a far cry from the 4,000 at Northlands Park. The second-floor Finish Line Restaurant offers reservations for the entire race day that includes VIP parking.
There will also be reinforcements for the betting mutuels.
“Our Calgary track, Century Downs, isn’t racing on Canadian Derby weekend, so we’re bringing up their staff for the day as well as staff from Century Casino Edmonton and Century Casino St. Albert. The staff isn’t limited to mutuels, but food, beverages, marketing and several other areas,” said Law.
Will they get all that right the first time out?
It will be fascinating to find out and figure out the changes they might make for the 91st Canadian Derby next year.