Woodbine ends meet early to comply with Ontario lockdown

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Woodbine Entertainment has announced that Sunday afternoon’s thoroughbred card will be the track's final one of the year. The Ontario government announced Friday that Toronto will enter the province’s gray ‘lockdown’ phase of coronavirus-related restrictions, which allows for training but no horse racing.

Sunday is the 97th day of a scheduled 109-day meet that began on June 6 and was to conclude Dec. 13.

“We have been, and continue to be, extremely supportive of the government’s efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19 throughout our province and appreciate the many difficult decisions they have to make,” said Jim Lawson, Woodbine Entertainment’s CEO.

“We have approached the government to explain the impacts this decision will have on our business and the horse racing industry in Ontario. With a better understanding of our operations and based on our safety record in operating live racing at our racetracks, we hope that the government will consider these impacts in the future and assist us in managing the potentially devastating impact to horsepeople and animal welfare this early shutdown will cause.”

The press release said the 12 canceled cards at Woodbine represented a significant opportunity for horsepeople to earn purse money that is critical for their livelihoods and the welfare of their horses as they enter the offseason.

“Our organization’s sole mandate is to sustain the horse racing industry that supports the livelihoods of 20,000 families throughout the province,” Lawson said. “Woodbine Entertainment is the engine of that industry and this early shutdown further impacts our business.”

According to the release, Woodbine Entertainment has approximately 1,300 employees either temporarily or permanently laid off as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This shutdown of racing also negatively impacts the approximately 2,000 horsepeople on the Woodbine backstretch, putting many of them out of work.

Training will be wound down this week. Woodbine will provide further updates on the closure of the racing season in the coming days.