COVID-19 created ‘different reality’ for horse racing
Fort Erie Race Track executive found Prince of Wales day without fans ‘surreal’
Four programs are remaining on a racing calendar that will be remembered — and not at all fondly — as the most “challenging” in Fort Erie Race Track’s 123-year history.
While wagering on a per-race basis is up 40 per cent and horse counts are up about 10 per cent, those increases came with a cost. As many as 70 jobs at the track were lost when the Ontario government allowed the industry to race without spectators.
“Good result, but very challenging” was how Tom Valiquette, the chief operating officer and chief financial officer of Fort Erie Live Racing Consortium, summed up the season so far.
He said the need to contain the spread of COVID-19 changed everything in the thoroughbred racing industry, creating a “different reality.”
“You could say that, without customers, it’s easier to operate, but, quite frankly, it just brings different challenges,” Valiquette said. “Just ensuring that we’re safe, ensuring that protocols are always followed, making sure things don’t get lax, The stress of worrying about what would happen if we get an outbreak.”
Adjusting to a “new normal” took its toll on the people working at the track.
“Generally, I think people were just not as happy as they always would be when they’re restricted and their whole lives are different,” he said. “It makes things a bit challenging, but overall the results have been good.”
Fort Erie has been racing Mondays and Tuesdays every week since the beginning of June. Valiquette found it strange watching a race without fans in the stands.
“I think early on, yes. Then you sort of get used to it, especially when we opened up for the race people to come out for the maximum of 100 people,” he said.
He again felt that something was missing Tuesday when the track hosted its signature event, the Prince of Wales Stakes.
“On Prince of Wales day, we were walking around here an hour before post time and usually you would have three, four or five thousand people milling about and all the excitement of the day,” he said. “And there’s nobody there. It was a bit surreal.”
So far, no one at the track has tested positive for COVID-19.
“That’s very gratifying. There is a good group of people here,” Valiquette said. “Everybody was following the rules, and that was what really saved us.”
He hopes Fort Erie will be able to welcome back spectators as well as employees in the food and beverage and mutuel departments for the start of the 2021 season in late May.
“I hope so, but your guess is as good as mine,” Valiquette said.