Kawartha Downs moves to earlier starting time
With no live spectators because of COVID -19, Peterborough area track continues to draw a full card of horses but wagering has fallen by 50 per cent
Kawartha Downs is moving to a 4 p.m. post time starting Saturday to try to boost wagering.
The Fraserville harness racing track is operating without spectators this season because of COVID-19. Right now the only way to bet on races is online through Horse Player Interactive (HPIbet.com).
In recent years the nightly handle at Kawartha Downs averaged more than $30,000 when spectators filled the grandstand. This year the average is less than $14,000.
“On a Saturday night we’re up against Mohawk and Georgian, signature tracks,” said Kawartha Downs manager of harness racing Jim Huck.
“When you’re up against those tracks you don’t get very much of the bet. By moving to 4 o’clock the only track we’re up against is Hanover which goes from 2 to 5. I elected to make the change to 4 from 7 because from 5 to 7 we’re the only product you can bet. We’ll see if we can get a bit more interest betting-wise.”
The purses aren’t affected by the wagering. Purses are funded by Ontario Racing through the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation. The track receives a share of the handle.
“If we can take a bit more of the bet it helps the track,” Huck said.
By comparison, Mohawk takes in $1.5 million and Hanover $50,000.
“Hiawatha, which is Sarnia, moved to 12:30 from Saturday at 7 and Hanover moved from 7 to 2 o’clock. Every track is feeling the pinch. Without customers you have to try to do what you can. This is our plan and I’m keeping our fingers crossed we have a good Saturday afternoon,” Huck said.
On the positive side, he said Kawartha Downs has another full card of 90 horses.
“We don’t have any problem attracting horses,” he said.
Huck said there’s another benefit to the earlier start.
“Instead of getting home at midnight the horsepeople are getting home by 8 o’clock and the staff as well. Once the customers return, and nobody knows when that will be, then we’d have to look at possibly going back to 7 o’clock,” Huck said.
Local Ontario Harness Horse Association rep Dave Gibson said horsepeople support the time change.
“You have to try something,” Gibson said. “The idea is we can fill in a dead area for standardbred racing between 4 and 7 before Mohawk starts.
“Hopefully it helps them a little. On a normal Saturday night the handle is pretty good for live betting. Not having anybody there nobody is betting.”
It’s weird without fans.
“It’s awfully quiet,” Gibson said.