Harness: Multi-generational Millers trying to find their way without Rideau

Racing is a rush of sounds and excitement. The hustle and bustle of the stable area during any morning and the paddock during any night can be compared to organized chaos, with horses and people going every direction. For 64 years, Rideau Carleton Raceway was that hub for the rush of sounds and excitement every morning and every night.

The five-eighths mile oval was nestled in Ottawa, Canada and home to hundreds of horsemen, with the nearest racetrack hours away.

In March of this year, Rideau Carleton Raceway shuttered its doors. The barns and the paddock that once carried the sounds of the hustle and bustle of any given morning and any given evening are quiet. The hundreds of horsemen had to face the realities of the nearest racetrack being hours away or a life without racing.

For generations, the racetrack wasn’t just a place to race. The racetrack was a community and a place for many to call home and make their livelihood. When the lights went off for the final time and the gates closed, those hundreds of horsemen were left wondering where they would go next.

For one family, the decision led to driving hundreds of extra miles each week and trying to hold onto that same way of life that suddenly felt lost without the one place they considered home for so long.

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Christina Miller is a second-generation horsewoman from Rochester, New York. Her father, Christopher Tulga, introduced her to harness racing.

“From the very beginning, it became more than just a sport. It became a way of life,” Miller said.

Her husband, Scott Miller, is originally from Massena, New York and is a third-generation horseman. His grandparents, Red and Margaret Colette, began racing at the Massena Driving Club, and his parents, Ronald and Patricia Miller, carried on that tradition, passing on their love of the sport down to him.

“Today, our children Joshua and Rebecca Miller continue that legacy, making our family fourth-generation participants in harness racing on Scott’s side,” said Christina.

Miller started her career much like most horsemen in harness racing – as a groom and working her way up to becoming an owner and trainer.

“Scott is also an owner and trainer, and together we’ve dedicated out lives to the horses and to the sport we love,” Miller said. “Our son Joshua drives for our stable, while our daughter, Rebecca, and our daughter-in-law Michelle Miller, help groom and care for the horses when we go to the races.”

The Millers work as a family in the barn and at the races. Together, they get the barn work done in the morning and the horses raced in the evening.

“Over the years I’ve worn many hats in the industry, but the truth is that harness racing has always been a family effort for us,” Miller said. “Everyone plays an important role, and we all work together toward the same goal. The horses have brought our family closer, taught us the value of hard work, and allowed us to continue traditions that have been passed down through generations. It isn’t just what we do, it’s who we are.”

Rideau Carleton Raceway has been the home for these horsemen to stable, train, race, work, live and thrive for decades. In addition to being a five-eighths mile oval, it had many barns allowing horsemen to stable their horses year-round, a feature that Miller noted made the community very close-knit. The paddock used to be large enough to accommodate horses for 13 races and the facility included a kitchen where everyone gathered, a tack shop, and a blacksmith shop.

“It truly had everything a horseman needed,” Miller said. “The track suited many of the larger horses. For our family, it was a short commute, making it incredibly convenient.”

A fire destroyed that paddock in 2023 and it was never rebuilt.

“While the tack shop remained, losing the paddock was a tremendous blow to the track and devastated the horsemen who called Rideau home. It was a constant reminder that an important piece of the track and our community had been lost,” Miller continued. “Like many racetracks, some of the amenities slowly began to disappear over the years, but the people never changed. Whether you stabled there year-round or shipped in to race, everyone took great pride in their horses and was always willing to help one another.”

Besides the decline in the condition of the track, Rideau was still home to the Millers and many other horsemen. All of the memories that the track carried continue to live on with Miller and her family.

“One of the things that made racing in Ontario so special was its commitment to the next generation. Children as young as 10 years old could obtain a groom’s license for just $20 Canadian, giving them the opportunity to learn and become involved in the sport at an early age. Our children were raised at Rideau. It was where Joshua got his first drives and learned to shoe horses, and where Rebecca learned how to paddock horses and help others around the barn. Those experiences shaped them into the horsepeople they are today,” said Miller.

The Millers have always lived in Massena, New York, which is close to the border. Their team was always ready to ship to race, with a 1 1/2-hour trip to Rideau on race days. Other days, they raced in Toronto, a five-hour journey. That trip wasn’t a frequent one, Miller explained, but she added that the track would treat them well.

Now, with Rideau closed, the shipping time to race has more than doubled. Instead of a 1 1/2-hour drive to Ottawa, the team treks 3 1/2 hours to Saratoga Raceway and Vernon Downs, or four hours to Tioga Downs.

“The closure of Rideau was sudden and completely unexpected. It didn’t just take away a place to race. it took away a community that so many of us had built our lives around,” Miller said. “For our family, it has made racing much more difficult, both physically and financially. When Rideau was open, it was close enough that we could commute to the races. Now, the closest tracks are at least three hours away. That means much longer days on the road for both us and our horses.

“We have horses that race on Lasix, so they have to arrive even earlier to meet medication schedules, making those race days even more demanding. It adds stress not only for our family but also for the horses, whose well-being is always our top priority. We know many other horsemen and horsewomen who have faced the same challenges. Some have had to scale back their operations, while others have had to make difficult decisions about whether they can stay in the business at all. Everyone has been affected in one way or another because there are now so few places left to race,” she added.

The same decision that troubled many horsemen in Florida when Pompano Park closed, to get out of Florida or get out of the business, proved a dark cloud over the Ottawa harness racing community, too. While some horsemen left the business, sold their horses and their equipment and stables, others, like the Millers, rerouted their plans. Although the Millers were able to keep their home in New York, they face the commitment of driving many hours just to race. And even though they have made every effort to keep going forward, the reality of losing their track has carved a deep hole in their lives.

“What hurts the most is that we didn’t just lose a racetrack, we lost a home. Rideau was where our children grew up, where lifelong friendships were made, and where generations of families worked side by side. It was a place where people genuinely cared about one another and were always willing to lend a hand. That sense of community is something you can’t replace,” Miller said.

The miles are further now. The days begin earlier and end later. Every race requires more planning, more expenses, and more sacrifice than before. Yet, despite everything, the horsemen keep going. They hook the trailer, load the horses, and head down the road.

The Millers are just one story in what could be a novel of hundreds of lives impacted by the closure of Rideau Carleton Raceway. They are just one story in thousands that have faced the closure of any racetrack. Behind every shuttered track and quiet stable area are families forced to change their lives, families that have had to rebuild routines, businesses lost, and horsemen that had to walk away from their homes or their livelihoods.

For those who chose to stay, the journey isn’t just reaching the next racetrack, it’s preserving the life they once had.

“The memories, the friendships, and the traditions that were built there will always stay with us. While we continue to do everything we can to keep racing, there will always be a part of us that misses Rideau and the special place it held in so many people’s lives,” Miller concluded.