As it currently stands, live horse racing at Fort Erie Race Track is officially over. After a 115-year run, the historic and picturesque raceway was unable to survive the blindsiding it received in 2012 from the Ontario Liberal Party. Although, according to a report, there is now a glimmer of hope that live racing at the border oval could continue.

An article on stcatharinesstandard.ca explains that 'talks' have been taking place between the track's operator, the Fort Erie Live Racing Consortium, and 'several interested, but unnamed overseas investors.'

The report has cited FELRC CEO Jim Thibert as saying that discussions took place this past weekend, but Thibert, who is also the Town of Fort Erie's Economic Development and Tourism Corporation General Manager, offered no specifics.

One individual that did offer specifics, at least in her assessment of the provincial Liberals' devastation of the horse-racing industry, was Fort Erie rider Janine Smith, who characterized the Ontario Grits' move as "small minded."

The final card of Fort Erie's 2012 season of live racing had originally been planned to be run today (Tuesday, October 30), but the track was forced to cancel the program in advance yesterday due to effects from Hurricane Sandy.

(With files from stcatharinesstandard.ca)