Ontario Racing focused on driving fan interest, handle, incentives for owners, breeders

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The horse-racing industry in Ontario has been looking for stable footing since the lucrative slots-at-racetracks program was canceled by the provincial government in 2013.

After several years of uncertainty, the industry’s long-term funding agreement with the province went into effect April 1. The Ontario government will give the industry $105 million annually for the next 19 years to fund racing operations, capital improvements, purse enhancements, and administration.

Ontario Racing is the organization tasked with distributing the funding and has representatives from the Thoroughbred, Standardbred, and Quarter Horse segments working together to move the province’s horse-racing industry forward. Its board includes representatives from premier, signature, and grassroots racetracks, along with breeders and horsemen from all three breeds.

John Hayes was elected the independent chair of Ontario Racing in June 2018 and said the board has been working well together, and with the government, to grow the sport in the province.

“There’s lots of input and lots of discussion,” he said. “There’s lots of spirited discussion. The board is working extremely well, in my opinion. We’ve maintained an excellent relationship with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. We’ve been at Queen’s Park meeting with members of provincial parliament across the province on a continuous basis through the first year.”

Among Ontario Racing’s goals are growing fan interest and wagering in the sport and growing the number of owners and breeders in the province. So far, the results have been positive. Woodbine broke another handle record on Queen’s Plate Day on June 29, and Hayes said Standardbred betting at Woodbine Mohawk Park is up 10.9 percent, with wagering at other Standardbred-alliance tracks up 13.5 percent, through the first six months of the year.

Ontario’s horse-racing industry was able to secure an additional $10 million a year that was announced back in March. That funding should directly help owners and breeders through the Horse Improvement Program. The Standardbred industry opted to invest its $2.38 million share of the additional funding in purse increases in the Ontario Sired Stakes program, while the Thoroughbred industry chose to use its $2.38 million share to increase owners’ and breeders’ bonuses for overnight races.

Hayes said the recent announcements have been very well received by owners and breeders, and he hopes breeders will see financial gains at the yearling sales this year.

“It’ll be interesting at the sales this fall to see if sales prices increase,” he said. “I personally think they will.”

Hayes said the industry will need to continue to find creative ways to grow the sport’s fan base and wagering handle.

“As beneficial as that slot program was to horse racing at the time, it maybe took our eyes off the ball for a few years on what we needed to do to change the industry to help grow into the future,” he said. “There’s unprecedented competition for the gaming dollar. It’s time to get in there and figure it out and do the kinds of things our customers are looking for as we move into the future.”