Good news for us canuks

[barb craven]

Fort Erie is a Go!
Racing Future Announcement

Racing Future is excited to announce that Fort Erie Racetrack will be hosting live Thoroughbred racing which includes The Year of the Horse Festival.

We celebrate the leadership, hard work, and determination of Premier Wynne, the Horse Racing Transition Panel and the many people and organizations who have worked to make this positive outcome a reality.

The announcement was made February 7 via the Ontario Racing Commission in a letter to the Premier from John Snobelen, Horse Racing Transition Panel member and current head of Ontario Live Racing.

Mr. Snobelen wrote to Premier Wynne: “I am now able to report to you that, with the cooperation of all concerned, funds required for a full season of racing at Fort Erie have been secured.”

He also notes that a full racing calendar for North America’s most picturesque racetrack will be published by the end of February and thanks the Premier for her leadership and guidance.

Every part of Asia has a long, storied history and association with horses. The Horse has a strong, ethical character, is very social and generous yet disciplined. While innovative, the Horse is also a practical problem solver who never gives up.

As part of the regular racing schedule each Year of the Horse Festival date will have Chinese and South Asian events and attractions associated with it and will be promoted as tourist options throughout Ontario and the United States. In addition, a special showpiece, the Regal Horse, will celebrate the specialized skill of Asian bamboo scaffolding while attempting to set a Guinness World Record and will draw thousands to Fort Erie to celebrate horses and horse racing as well as our Asian culture. Read the proposed Year of the Horse Festival plans here

[tom]

Fort Erie rises from the dead more often than Dracula!

Good news for sure - always loved the Fort. Used to go every year for vacation, then on to Woodbine for the best of Canada racing.
Good track to play.

[Ted Craven]

Here is the Racing Future website, organized by Dennis Mills, long-time racing booster and former politician in Ontario:

http://www.racingfuture.com/

Looks like for Ft Erie, there will be a focus on promoting the site (including racing) to Chinese and South Asian communities in Southern Ontario, also New York State - part of the Niagara destination thing. Now if they could also make a tie-in to the Jamaican / Caribbean communities, that would account for about 60%+ of the people I see whenever I go to Woodbine!

Here is Racing Future's promotion plan including the Chinese 'Year of the Horse' festival and projected finances --> here. Looks like some holes still exist and a lot of 'hope it works out' involved. The physical plant needs a lot of work as well. The 5 year plan they talk about is what they really need if horsemen will really commit to stabling and running their stock there again.

Looks like another stop on the way to/from Saratoga again this year!

Ted

[Hoof 11]

Originally Posted by Ted Craven

Now if they could also make a tie-in to the Jamaican / Caribbean communities, that would account for about 60%+ of the people I see whenever I go to Woodbine!

Ted

You actually go down to the second floor?

On the last Wednesday of the season i went to the track and decided to hang out with the Jamaican'. I happened to be hitting the horses that night, much to the dismay of the Jamaican', as usual i was being ridiculed before the races went off, different story after the fact....... man they're terrible handicappers but they are a lot of fun to hang out with. I didn't have a racing form in front of me, i did my cappin with RDSS beforehand, they were quite perturbed about how i hit so many winners.... good times.

Glad to hear about Ft. Erie, thats good news for sure.

[tom]

Looks like another stop on the way to/from Saratoga again this year!

The old Erie/Lakes double ruled in the 70's.

[ssag0]

glad there back but they need a game plan, last season it was very small fields and the same few hundred horses racing week after week.