Woodbine Racetrack is a Thoroughbred horse racing facility located in the Etobicoke district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is owned and operated by the Woodbine Entertainment Group and hosts Canada's preeminent horse race, the King's Plate. The racetrack originally opened in 1956 with a one-mile dirt oval and a seven-eighths turf course. Since 1993, the facility has undergone extensive renovations and currently features three separate racecourses.
Brief History
The current Woodbine racetrack is named after a previous racetrack that operated in southeast Toronto from 1874 to 1993, although the two tracks are not located in the same place. In 1951, the Ontario Jockey Club (OJC) operated Woodbine and hosted the prestigious King's Plate race, but it faced competition from other racetracks in Ontario and needed modernisation.
During the 1950s, under the leadership of E.P. Taylor, the OJC pursued a strategy of acquiring and consolidating racetrack operations in Ontario to become the largest and most profitable horse racing company in the province, similar to Taylor's earlier moves in the Canadian brewing industry. The OJC purchased and closed several competing racetracks, including Thorncliffe Park, Hamilton Racetrack, and Fort Erie Racetrack. It also purchased and redeveloped Stamford Park in Belleville, as well as the Orpen-owned Dufferin Park and Long Branch Racetracks.
The acquisitions and consolidation allowed the OJC to significantly expand its racing operations, increasing the number of racing days it could host from 84 in 1952 to 196 days. This expansion enabled the OJC to continue prestigious races like the Canadian International and Cup and Saucer stakes that had previously been held at the acquired Orpen tracks.
The efforts to acquire and close other racetracks were aimed at supporting the development of a new "supertrack". In 1952, the Ontario Jockey Club (OJC) identified a site east of the Toronto airport along Highway 27 and purchased over 400 acres for the new track. They hired architect Earle C. Morgan, who collaborated with racetrack designer Arthur Froelich to plan the new facility. The new Woodbine Racetrack was designed to accommodate 40,000 spectators, with ample parking, three racing courses, two training tracks, stabling for 1,000 horses, and facilities for 700 employees. The grandstand was designed to bring as many people as close to the finish line as possible and included restaurants and cafeterias.
Construction on the $13 million ($129 million in 2021) racetrack began in 1955 and it opened on June 12, 1956. The old Woodbine Racetrack was then converted to a combined thoroughbred and standardbred track, known as Greenwood Raceway/Greenwood Race Track. In 1994, the two meets held at Greenwood were transferred to the new Woodbine, which from then on was exclusively for thoroughbred racing.
The new Woodbine Racetrack hosted significant events, including the 100th running of the Queen's Plate in 1959, which was attended by Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh, as well as the 151st running of the Queen's Plate Stakes in 2010, which the Queen attended.
Grand Occasions
1964
On May 2, 1964, the Canadian-bred horse Northern Dancer made history by winning the Kentucky Derby in a record time of 2 minutes flat.
A few months later, Northern Dancer returned to his home track of Woodbine as a national hero in June. With jockey Bill Hartack aboard, Northern Dancer cruised to victory in Canada's most prestigious race, the Queen's Plate, winning by 7.5 lengths. This would be Northern Dancer's final race before retiring, as he went on to become the most successful sire in the sport's history.
1994
The Ontario Jockey Club (OJC) embarks on the most extensive track reconstruction effort ever seen in North America. In less than a year, they build a 7/8 mile harness racing track, a 1-mile dirt track for thoroughbreds, and a 1 1/2 mile turf course, transforming Woodbine into Canada's premier venue for thoroughbred racing.
On September 10, Woodbine's exceptional E.P. Taylor Turf Course opened to widespread acclaim. Named in honour of Woodbine's founder, this remarkable course immediately earned a reputation as one of the premier turf racing facilities globally. To this day, it continues to draw many of the world's top turf horses to compete there.
1999
In preparation for the launch of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation's "Slots at Racetracks" program, Woodbine and Mohawk racetracks underwent a multi-million dollar renovation. In August, Mohawk unveiled its new slot machine area, which included 750 slot machines, a racebook facility for simulcast racing from across North America, and refurbished dining areas.
The Racing Network (TRN), with the Ontario Jockey Club as a key partner, had launched as a national English-language speciality television service. TRN is dedicated to providing programming related to Canadian and international horse racing, including live race coverage, commentary, odds, replays, and results.
2006
On July 23, Woodbine Racetrack celebrated its 50th year of operation. The highlight of the anniversary celebration was the first-ever running of the Northern Dancer Breeders' Cup Turf race.
2011
Woodbine Racetrack is ranked the second safest racetrack in North America, based on data from the Jockey Club's Equine Injury Database. The ranking was determined by looking at the "average catastrophics per 1,000 races" at 16 of the top racetracks over a 3-year period from 2009 to 2011.
2020
The COVID-19 pandemic forced Woodbine Racetrack to delay the start of its 2020 racing season until June. This marked the first time in history that horse racing continued with either no spectators or greatly reduced in-person attendance. The global health crisis significantly disrupted normal operations at the renowned racetrack, necessitating these unprecedented changes to the season.
2022
Woodbine Entertainment, a major player in the horse racing industry, announced that it surpassed $1 billion in total handles across all betting platforms in 2022. This represents a new record high for the company, underscoring its continued growth and success in the competitive world of horse racing.