Woodbine will run the first race over its new seven-furlong inner turf course Friday afternoon, the day before the Toronto track hosts the historic Queen's Plate.
“Opening our new state-of-the-art inner turf course during the Queen's Plate Festival is the perfect compliment to this event's rich history,” said Jim Lawson, CEO of Woodbine Entertainment. “It's a demonstration of our commitment to growing the sport of horse racing towards a future that is bright and proud as the 159 years that have preceded it.”
The transformation of the former seven-eighths-mile Standardbred track into a second Thoroughbred turf course began in the spring last year. Horses have been galloping, breezing and working over the new course in the weeks leading up to Friday's opening and Woodbine conducted timed trial races, including participation by the track and gate crews, broadcast team, AGCO stewards as well as security and emergency personnel.
“The safety of the horses and participants is a top priority for Woodbine and the new inner turf course has undergone thorough inspection by our racing executives and track specialists as well as a third-party laboratory to be deemed safe and ready for racing,” said Jonathan Zammit, VP of Thoroughbred Racing Operations. “Woodbine is excited to celebrate the opening of the new inner turf course as we endeavour to become the premier turf racing destination in North America. Our team has worked tirelessly to bring our vision to life and we look forward to elevating our world-class racing product to a new level.”
Once both the new course and the track's E.P. Taylor turf course are fully operational, Woodbine will look to card five to six racing opportunities every race day through the 2019 meet. The new inner turf course will host this year's GIII Ontario Colleen S. (July 20), Eternal Search (Aug. 14), Vice Regent (Sept. 7) and Ontario Damsel (Sept. 22), plus two new five-furlong stakes for 2-year-olds Sept. 15: the Ontario Racing S. and the filly companion Woodbine Cares S.
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