The late-December announcement of a five-year funding enhancement for Ontario's racetracks has been welcomed by horsepeople in the Peterborough area for the stability it brings to Kawartha Downs.

On Thursday (Jan. 7), Infrastructure minister and Haliburton Kawartha Lakes-Brock MPP Laurie Scott confirmed the funding enhancement, which insures all of Ontario's 15 racetracks can continue to race through the COVID-19 pandemic. The deal also insures that Kawartha Downs casino can continue to operate for the next five years.

“We can kind of plan ahead,” said Ontario Harness Horse Association representative Dave Gibson to The Peterborough Examiner. “We purchased horses this past fall we hope to race this year and again next year. We think ahead like that. Having a five-year deal will ease the tensions of what will be next.”

Alongside the deal, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) awarded Kawartha 18 race dates for 2021, down from the usual 21 the track received in years past. Racing, as approved by the AGCO, is slated for Sundays with a 4 p.m. post time. However Jim Huck, Manager of Racing at Kawartha Downs, has filed to change Kawartha's race dates from Sundays to Saturdays, citing a conflict with some of the track's regular horsepeople.

“At the end of last year our general manager Kevin (Goetz), along with the rest of us, thought it would be best to possibly move to Sunday in order to use the facility for concerts or stock car racing etc. (on Saturday),” said Huck. "If we race on Sunday it will drop our entries down significantly."

Kawartha's application to change its race dates to Saturdays in 2021 awaits approval from the AGCO.