Twelve races will greet racing fans when they turn on Fort Erie racing coverage on Tuesday, June 15, the first of 42 days for the 124th season of racing at the popular border oval.
The opening day card will include two Cup races: The Sprint into Summer and the Summer Solstice Cup. The Sprint into Summer is for colts and geldings (maidens), aged three or older going five furlongs on the dirt. The Summer Solstice is for fillies and mares (maidens), aged three or older going five furlongs on the dirt as well.
“We wanted to start off this season with a strong card and we think the Cup races are a great addition to our opening day,” said Drew Cady, the general manager of the Fort Erie Live Racing Consortium. “Every horseperson has been working hard to prepare their horses for this year’s meet and we believe it will be a great season despite delays due to the provincial lockdown.”
The Prince of Wales Stakes is scheduled to take place at the end of summer on Tuesday, September 14. The $400,000 race will feature Canada’s finest three-year-old thoroughbreds running 1 mile and 3/16 on Fort Erie’s dirt track. Given the current COVID-19 restrictions it remains uncertain whether fans will be able to attend the 86th running of the second jewel in the OLG Canadian Triple Crown.
The 2020 leading trainer JULIE MATHES has horses entered in eight races.
The Sprint Into Summer, worth $30,000, has a field of 10 and #2 RED MERCURY figures to be heavily favoured based on a speed try at Belmont Park against much tougher on May 7. The Ontario-bred by Street Boss is owned by MPB Stables and trained by Paul LePiane and that combo won with 59-to-1 shot Seventyseven Stone at Woodbine on June 13.
Fifteen fillies were entered in the $30,000 Summer Solstice Cup and Charles Fipke’s TALE OF CHAMPAGNE is the morning line favourite for her second career race. Myckie Neubauer trains.
Read the Welland Tribune report here.
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