Management at Rideau Carleton Raceway has shared an update regarding the start of the 2023 harness racing season following a fire that destroyed the racing paddock last month.
Pending regulatory approval, the start of the 2023 season will be pushed back two weeks from March 19 to April 2 despite the best efforts of the track and community to clean up and rebuild following the Feb. 15 fire at the Ottawa oval.
“Since February’s fire, we have been forging an alternative to race as quickly as possible while our gutted paddock is rebuilt,” said Peter Andrusek, Racing Manager at Rideau Carleton Raceway. “After extensive consultation, it has been determined that we require three more weeks of time to perform the work followed by an additional week for approvals and inspections in order to retrofit barn D to a standard that would accommodate horsepeople’s needs as well as satisfying both provincial and federal regulators. Unfortunately, this will delay the start of our race season until Sunday, April 2.
"However, to mitigate damages to horsepeople, Rideau Carleton will immediately apply to move those two lost March programs to the first two weeks of April. Racing two days a week immediately upon opening should help to get everyone raced and perhaps some horses could occasionally race twice a week in April."
Rideau's proposal, pending regulatory approval, includes adding Wednesday evening cards through the month of April (April 5, 12, 19, 26) and dropping the following race dates: Sunday, March 19, Sunday, March 26, Thursday, April 20 and Thursday, April 27. The track plans to return to its original schedule of Thursdays and Sundays in May.
The primary reason for evening races on Wednesdays would be in case the track is soft in the afternoons in April. Andrusek explained that, based on experience, the track tends to tighten up as the sun sets.
Andrusek also noted that the track is now financially and physically limited to 10 races per program and management feels that, if accepted by regulators, it would quickly replace the lost money for the two cancelled March programs and it will also decrease the probability of any horse not drawing in at least weekly in April.
Qualifying races will continue Wednesdays at 10 a.m. for the month of March.
The live racing schedule will be confirmed when it has received regulatory approval.
(With files from NCHHRA/Rideau Carleton Raceway)