Schooling youngsters behind a starting gate in preparation of their imminent racing careers is a huge part of most stables' standard operating procedure. But what if you have 40 babies?
This is the predicament thestable.ca operators Amy and Anthony MacDonald found themselves in this year.
"It would be impossible to ship 40 horses to any track all at once to get these babies the experience they need, said Anthony MacDonald. "Rather than truck all over Ontario, we simply looked for a more logical approach."
Thestable.ca reached out to area tracks and the response from Flamboro Downs was exactly what they were hoping for.
"Flamboro Downs is always looking to partner with initiatives to forwardly place horse racing in our communities," said Flamboro General Manager John Stolte. "Thestable.ca is very much one of those projects, and we are happy to help them as they get their large stable ready to race this summer."
"Thestable.ca is always looking for ways to give clients an unmatched experience," said MacDonald. "Streaming this training session live with our drone camera will be yet another fresh view of these youngsters for our owners and potential clients."
Starting at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, a live stream can be viewed here.
"Our industry has to understand that we are in the entertainment business. Days like last week's Spring Showcase, and live streaming our clients' youngsters leaving the farm for the first time are exactly what the everyday person is looking for; everyone wants a backstage pass," said MacDonald.
"We need fresh ways to attract and then retain new and returning clients, especially in Ontario with our purse structuring issues. By focusing on entertainment value, we will increase our fan base and investor interest. We're generating interest in horse racing, which is about more than just a financial return," said MacDonald.
"We really appreciate the help from Flamboro Downs, and we're looking forward to working with the rest of the industry in the future," he said.
(The Stable)