As the newly-formed Quebec Jockey Club begins its second season of racing since the devastating collapse of 2008, its blend of tradition with sensible progress may be a recipe carefully crafted to help French Canadian racing rise again
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Story by Norm Borg
Photography by James Park
To say that Quebec City is old world French is surely an understatement. The classic forms spotted so easily in its architecture extend to every facet of the landscape, and they ring true just the same at the old Hippodrome Quebec, site of this year’s 20-day race meet. You can’t help but notice the skillful flair of masonry as you approach the entrance to the grandstand. And once inside, you’re struck by the completely modern renovations. It’s immediately evident that this is a unique meeting place for the old and the new. As James and I saunter in the main doors, an employee greets us with a wide smile, passing us free draw tickets. The atmosphere we’re faced with reminds me of a wedding reception; folks are meeting one other like long lost friends with the continental two cheek kiss. You don’t need to be bilingual to sense that their “revoir” was held after a long absence.
Outside on the track, a live big-band orchestra plays the classics on a newly-built patio. With Sinatra ringing in my ears, I look around and it hits me: the crowd! This is no ordinary opening day at an ordinary track. The place is filling up, and not by the watered down standards we’ve recently settled for in much of our industry.
It’s mere moments before I come face to face with Quebec Jockey Club (QJC) member Jocelyn Sauve. He’s darting around the place like a pinball, dealing with queries from fans, staff, and media, but I manage to snag him for a moment following his interview with Radio Canada. Running on little sleep, the feisty Sauve is all smiles as he surveys the line at the door. “We’re on a more solid footing with our business plan. The QJC directors, they don’t like bulls—t and they don’t bulls—t nobody!’’
His less-than-veiled reference to the management style of the previous owners of Quebec tracks, Attractions Hippiques, is a nobrainer. “Too much water in the soup is not good,” he says. “We decided it’s better to have 20 race dates and better purses instead of lots more dates, lesser purses, lower quality product and lower handle as a result.” Indeed, handle is the lifeblood of Quebec racing for the time being, as there are no on-track casino or ‘ludoplexes’ to supplement the budget. (not that they helped the last time around.)
The call to the post is sounded. The track announcer will call the first race from the winner’s circle where the fans can connect more closely. The horses follow the parade marshal, who is on horseback. It’s a nice touch. The dash is a condition class – non-winners of $2,500 in 2010 and 2011 – but that doesn’t seem to bother the ever-growing crowd. I decide to try my luck and fractured French and head to the windows, but I’m thrust back to my youth when I’m faced with long lines of eager gamblers and the announcer’s warnings over the loudspeaker to not get shut out. Indeed, I am miles away from making a wager when the first field leaves the gate.
I opt instead to chat with a man who has drawn an awful lot of attention by his mere presence. Brian Paquette, a co-owner of Up The Credit, has just arrived from Mohawk, where he watched his three-year-old colt win our country’s richest horse race. Himself a QJC director, the still beaming Paquette offers a no-nonsense perspective about this new-fangled French Canadian racing product. “It’s built from the ground up with a modest but visionary business plan,” he shrugs, as if it’s the most obvious thing. He admits there’s a key issue that needs to be addressed, though, in the lack of OTbs in the province. “We need about eight of them to help us,” he says, “but we’re waiting on the ‘Regie’ to get moving. (He means the Regie des alcohols, des courses et des jeux du Quebec. It’s the provincial body that governs racing in that province. With responsibility over not just racing, but gaming and alcohol too, it’s kind of a CpmA on steroids.)
As Mr. Paquette is snatched away by another journalist-in-waiting, I see that a five-year-old Quebec-bred named EF Gaspesien has claimed victory in race one. like the horse, the driver is also ‘lane pur’ – it’s Pascal Berube. He’s met in the winner’s circle with fist pumps, high fives, and shouts of approval from the crowd. “Felicitations pascal!” one exclaims. I turn to catch a glimpse of the well wisher, and am greeted by an elderly gentleman who, even on this warm day, is wearing suit and tie! It’s another rewind moment for me, as track crowds today tend to dress as though they’re tail-gating at NASCAR rather than watching a horse race. But on this day, there was more than one old-time fan dressed for the occasion like they did back in the day.
Yet again, I find myself at the junction of old and new. Vincent Trudel, recently appointed general manager of the Quebec Jockey Club, is a man who’s business experience in the gaming industry is well established. A Quebec native, Trudel worked as an executive for a number of casinos in europe and could most recently be found in upper management at great Canadian gaming. Today, he brings the latest in gaming industry ideas to the job. When I come face to face with him here on opening day, Trudel tells me he was attracted to the position by both the quality of the board’s members and a sense duty to the community. “When the racing industry in Quebec collapsed,” he reminds me, “three to four thousand people lost jobs. Where are they supposed to go? I was thrilled when I looked at the board of directors with names like Serge Savard (Former Montreal Canadiens great and co-owner of former little brown Jug winner Shadow Play) and the legendary driver and Quebec racing hero Michel Lachance.” Trudel nods his approval of the shuffling approach his board is taking. “We plan to make one step at a time, introducing new marketing ideas (such as handicapping tournaments) to attract a younger demographic and so on. We’re not building something based on a dream from the past.”
The field for the second race is ready. Once again I venture to the window. “un do-llar ex-acta boite?” I mutter nervously, clearing my throat. The teller interrupts sympathetically in perfect english. “What horses do you want to box in your exacta, sir?”
Still feeling a bit silly, I turn around and am lucky enough to catch a glimpse of QJC president Tony Infilise, who is ecstatic with how things are going. “We estimate there are about 3,000 fans here,” he grins, “and we’re looking at a handle of close to $50,000.” It later became obvious that he was awfully close. my meager contribution included, the unofficial handle from Sunday’s card was $47,291.
After the second race, as I sheepishly discard the ticket representing my failed attempts at both handicapping and bilingualism, I can’t help but think that while the QJC doesn’t want to rebuild racing on the overreaching standards of the past, their measured yet progressive approach might just bring the past – or the better part of it – home again!