Average daily handle on live Standardbred racing at Century Downs Racetrack and Casino increased 27 per cent in the first 18 days of racing this year compared to the first 18 days of 2017.

Full fields and competitive racing is being cited as the difference maker.

“This is season four of Standardbred racing at Century Downs. Every year since 2015 we have increased handle on the races,” noted Century Downs Racetrack and Casino General Manager Paul Ryneveld. “This is not easy, we have had to work at it. Having a great partner like the Alberta Standardbred Horsemen Association (ASHA) goes a long way in developing collaborative initiatives to improve results. The product the horsemen are providing this year is arguably the best we have seen in four years, and that gives us something we can sell.”

ASHA recently concluded a successful paddock sale at Century Downs with ten new-to-Alberta horses of racing age bought at the recent Ohio sale, selling to local horsemen.

“The commitment by ASHA to improve the product and horse population is real,” commented Ryneveld. “We fully support more of this and are hoping this is an annual undertaking.”

Many racing and fan-development events are on the schedule for the 2018 season at the track, including the Calgary Racing Festival, which will run from July 28 – August 6. The festival will kick off with the highly popular Packwood Grand Day at the races which regularly draws 1,500 – 2,000 well-dressed participants for an elegant day at the races.

Libations Fest, an Alberta-focused craft beer, wine, and spirits festival, is slated for August 4.

The second annual Industry Day will take place on August 5 with Mid-Summer Classic, a stakes-filled card (featuring over $300,000 in purses) that will close out the weeklong festival on the holiday Monday, August 6.

‘Fun For Fans’ and the ‘Century Downs Racing Club’ continue to provide fans with the experience of horse ownership without the risk. Fun For Fans invites a different charity each month to watch ‘their horse’ race, with all proceeds going to the charity. In its third year, the Century Downs Racing Club has 100 members that own shares in two Standardbred horses. So far, the three-year-old filly, Nakkertok has treated the club to a fast-closing second-place finish.

(Century Downs)