Woodbine issued the following statement to horsepeople regarding the 2021 season as part of its program of “maximizing horses and racing opportunities at Ontario Thoroughbred Tracks”:
Due to the strong demand for Woodbine Stalls in 2021, any horse that leaves Woodbine to race at Fort Erie Race Track will be required to race and stay for the meet. These horses will not be permitted to return to Woodbine until the fall stall application in mid-October.
Woodbine stalls are reserved for horses that race consistently at Woodbine and fill cards on site. Fort Erie stalls are available for horses that will be racing at Fort Erie. Exceptions will be granted with permission from the Racing Secretary where:
1. a horse is entered in a race at Woodbine and the race does not go and
2. The race date at Fort Erie is within 10 days of the attempted entry date at Woodbine.
This program does not apply to horses shipping out for any Stakes Race.
Generating field size from the stall inventory at each racetrack is a financial priority for the entire industry. Every race card produces the necessary wagering dollars to support the purse account at Woodbine and Fort Erie- collectively $74 million. If we are not maximizing our field size at both tracks, we are weakening our product and will continue to risk contributions to the purse account. In the wake of Covid-19 and fewer race days, we must maximize every opportunity to keep next year’s purse account healthy.
Should you have questions, please contact the Stall Office or Race Office at anytime.
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