The Raceway at Western Fair District is just over a month away from the return of live harness racing and some significant changes will greet horsepeople and guests when the season kicks off on Tuesday, Oct. 1.
The biggest project during the off season was a complete resurfacing of the track itself. Through support of the Ontario Racing annual capital funding program, the project began immediately after the conclusion of the spring race meet and is set to wrap up and be ready to go well in advance of opening night. A new state-of-the-art infield video board is also being built and is targeted to be ready early into the fall meet.
On-track guests will be welcomed back to the traditional first-floor location, which had been repurposed as London, Ontario’s primary COVID vaccination centre during the pandemic. This space, which includes the popular Homestretch Bar, has undergone some cosmetic changes during the summer and will allow on-track patrons convenient access to the outdoor grandstand and patio area.
“Our team is really looking forward to the fall season,” said Greg Blanchard, Director of Equine Programming. “A large portion of our site has been under construction and transition which is exciting but has also caused some disruption to our customers. We appreciate their patience and are working to provide an improved guest experience this season while making these long-term enhancements to the facility.”
Racing is scheduled each Monday, Tuesday and Friday evening at 5:50 p.m. -- except Boxing Day (Dec. 26) at 12:50 p.m. and New Year’s Eve (Dec. 31) at 7:10 p.m.
There will be several special event nights during the fall season, including the Ontario Sires Stakes Prospect Series finals (Oct. 11), the 19th edition of Harness The Hope (Oct. 18), National Caretaker Appreciation Day (Nov. 1) and the Drivers Holiday Challenge (Dec. 10).
The Top of the Fair dining room will be open every Friday night for ‘buffet style’ dining featuring a fantastic fall menu. In addition, Trifecta Tuesdays, a value-filled promotion held on the third Tuesday of each month (except Tuesday, Dec. 10), includes dinner, gaming and wagering vouchers and a special seniors’ rate. The Top of the Fair will also be opened on Tuesday, Oct. 15 with a special offer that evening for guests of the London Classic Yearling Sale (LCYS).
Speaking of the LCYS, The Raceway’s longtime City of London Series will get a re-brand and purse boost this spring. The event will be renamed the London Classic Sales Series and will be supported by a portion of proceeds from the annual yearling sale, which is now owned and operated by the Western Fair Association. The conditions for the series will remain the same with the finals in each of the divisional categories guaranteed at $40,000. The quartet of finals will continue to take place on the track’s signature night of racing, Camluck Classic night, which is slated for the last Friday in May.
“Since taking over the sale, we have wanted to come up with a way to help support the local racing community,” said Blanchard. “This move will help bolster what has been a longstanding and important event for us at The Raceway and our local horsepeople. I think they appreciate these races as an opportunity to develop their young horses while racing for some good purse money. This new series also provides added incentive for buyers who support our annual sale.”
(Western Fair District)