The Raceway at Western Fair District gets set to kick off its exciting fall meet on Wednesday (Oct. 7) and will do so with a number of changes that include a new schedule, enhanced safety protocols and a change to the wagering menu.
The new Fall schedule will feature live harness racing each Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 6:15 p.m. through December 31. The traditional Friday post time of 6:55 p.m. has also been changed to 6:15 p.m. to create more consistency across the schedule. The first card of the meet will feature 12 races with full fields. (To view the entries for Wednesday's card, click the following link: Wednesday Entries - Western Fair.)
Following consultation with the Public Health Unit, the decision was made to open the Top Of The Fair only to patrons during live racing. Dining will be available all three race days, featuring a Pub Style menu and will be limited to 150 patrons to ensure physical distancing is in place. All other areas of the grandstand will remain closed and The Raceway will remain closed for simulcasting.
Reservations for Top of the Fair will be required for each race night and face masks are mandatory. Customers will be pre-screened before entering the facility. Reservations will be granted on a first-come first-serve basis. Reservations can be made only online at this time, and can be made through Open Table.
Wagering and restroom facilities will be made available.
The opening weekend of live racing will feature the glamour boys of the Ontario Sires Stakes on Friday, October 9. Superstars Tattoo Artist and Beaumond Hanover are expected to compete on the half-mile oval. It will be the final stop of the season for this division prior to the lucrative OSS Super Finals which take place on October 17 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
The caretakers -- the people who look after the magnificent horses that race night in and night out -- will also be recognized on October 9 as part of Standardbred Canada's National Caretaker Appreciation Day initiative that has been happening at racetracks across the country this season. The Raceway will offer a choice of swag for the groom of each winning horse and COSA is offering one $100 HPI card per groom per race to be randomly drawn.
Ontario Racing’s Autumn Series will return to The Raceway in mid-October. The track will host events for two- and three-year-old filly trotters on Wednesday, October 14 and two- and three-year-old colt pacers on Friday, October 16. The $20,000 added finals are slated for October 28 and 30, respectively.
On the wagering front, The Raceway will introduce a new Pick-5 wager starting in the first race each night. It will feature a $2,500 guaranteed pool along with a low 15 percent takeout. If the wager does not produce a winning ticket, a carryover will be in effect.
The Raceway will continue to offer its traditional Pick 4 wagers with a guaranteed pool of $7,500 on Mondays and Wednesdays and a $5,000 pool on Fridays. The ever-popular Super Hi 5 races will also take place.
For more information, stay tuned to The Raceway on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or stop by the website at westernfairdistrict.com.
(WFD)