Alberta Night of Champions Returns In-Person May 6

After two years of a virtual format, Alberta's Night of Champions will be held in person Friday, May 6 at Century Mile Racetrack and Casino in Nisku, Alberta. The Night of Champions is an annual event that celebrates the achievements of the Alberta Thoroughbred industry in the previous season with award winners announced in a variety of categories such as Leading Breeder, Leading Alberta Bred and Horse of the Year.

This year's gala evening, dinner and awards presentation will be held in the Paddock Room at Century Mile beginning with the reception at 6:00 p.m. followed by dinner, awards and dance/entertainment. For tickets, RSVP to the CTHS Alberta office at 403-229-3609 or cthsweb@cthsalta.com by Friday, Apr. 29.

Further information and nominees in all categories may be viewed on the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society here.

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Racing in Canada Remains Resolute Amid COVID Turbulence

by Nigel Reid

The memory of what COVID-19 restrictions did to Canada's racing industry during the past 18 months, allied to the looming spectre of the troubling new variant, has done little to dispel the general uncertainty surrounding the sport north of the 49th parallel.

However, if the results of what was a truncated season are to be believed, there is cause for optimism over the manner in which the sport, especially at the country's flagship Woodbine facility in Toronto, bounced back in 2021.

Indeed, rumours of Canadian racing's demise appear to have been largely exaggerated. Most provinces, and especially Ontario/Woodbine, demonstrated impressive tenacity to not only survive the COVID-19 onslaught but also begin to 'build back better'.

Woodbine did an extraordinary job under the guidance of Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG) CEO Jim Lawson–initially turning the world-class Toronto facility into something of a poster boy for how sports could continue to operate under COVID-19 protocols, and then doggedly lobbying for some common sense when the government temporarily shut down the track.

Fortunately, the two-month delay to the start of the Woodbine campaign could not prevent the 2021 Thoroughbred season generating an all-sources handle of more than $505 million, the third-highest season total in Woodbine Thoroughbred history.

Woodbine's stellar facilities helped ensure trainers were happy and that contentment resulted in an enviable average field size of nine. In turn, that helped generate a 4.8% increase in average per-race handle–an impressive $534,194 in 2021.

Talking at an end-of-season meeting, Lawson said: “Our racing team did a great job in creating appealing and competitive races throughout the entire season. The support of the owners and trainers through these hard times deserves recognition and our commitment to providing the best overall experience to those racing at Woodbine will only heighten in 2022.”

He continued: “Growing and strengthening the Woodbine brand across North America has been a focal point of our day-to-day activities over the past several years and we're proud of our success in this area, as it's evident these efforts continue to raise the profile of our world-class racing product at Woodbine.”

Woodbine racing | WEG/Michael Burns

Away from Woodbine, and despite the sudden and permanent closure of Marquis Downs in Saskatchewan, there were some positive signs for Canada's supporting cast of racing venues.

Century Mile Racetrack, Alberta's fledgling facility in Edmonton, continues to bed in and, conveniently located by an international airport, is slowly building a facility that has impressed the local horseracing community and attracted plenty of raiders from further afield. Century Mile hosts the Canadian Derby, which this year fell to Uncharacteristic (Texas Wildcatter), a horse claimed for $8,000 by his connections earlier in the season and whose victory in the Grade III contest came on the heels of a Manitoba Derby win the previous month.

Manitoba, like Alberta, endured stop-start scenarios of its own. But, when the province was finally up and running, organisers at Assiniboia Downs were rewarded with more of the eye-catching handles ($2.5 million on Derby Day alone) that began the previous year when the track benefitted from a continental shutdown of most other sports.

West of the Rockies, Hastings Racecourse also endured the shuttering of casinos that, in turn, temporarily halted virtually all funding for the sport across Canada. Thanks in large part to the lobbying by the British Columbia Horse Racing Industry Management Committee and other industry groups, there was a significant cash injection from the government ($3 million, divided equally between the Standardbred and Thoroughbred disciplines). The initiative enabled the picturesque track not only to keep racing going this summer, but also plan for a full slate of stakes races for 2022 and two days racing a week between May and October.

It was touch and go at Hastings for a while, with one industry stalwart needing to personally underwrite the season with his own money.

Glen Todd | Horsephotos

A self-described “glass half-full” man, Glen Todd, owner, trainer, breeder and the man behind the North American Thoroughbred Horse Company (NATHC) that remains such a driving force in BC racing, shrugged off the need to dig into his own pocket in typically modest fashion. Todd said he was content that, after a lot of hard work behind the scenes, the 2021 season, albeit severely truncated, was saved and the immediate future of the sport in BC secured.

“There were obviously moments when it was very dark,” Todd told the TDN this week, “but I'm not a doom and gloom person and I was always confident that we'd be back.”

Todd said he is also optimistic that the new owner of Great Canadian Gaming Corporation, which was bought out earlier this year by Apollo Global Management, represents an opportunity to press the reset button on the relationship between Hastings' front and back sides.

“We've had a few meetings already,” explained Todd, “and I'm optimistic. Talks about the future have been positive and encouraging, but only time will tell.”

Although not unique to Canada, the horse population, along with owner numbers, continues to be a concern in every racing province, even Ontario, and it's fair to say that the country's breeding sector was navigating turbulent seas even before the pandemic hit.

However, imaginative and generous breeding incentives in the four main racing provinces continue to help underpin a delicate sales market after several worrying years. This year's yearling sale in British Columbia, for instance, offered bonuses for BC-bred yearlings that will add as much as 50% to winning purses for qualified horses. The result saw the strongest demand for locally bred runners in years, and will hopefully result in a much-needed boost in backstretch numbers for 2022.

There are a variety of schemes across the provinces and, while some in the racing community have doubted the sustainability of these 'walled garden' incentives, there seems little doubt that, in the short-term at least, they have helped to shore up the residual value of bloodstock.

The average cost of a yearling at September's Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (CTHS) Yearling Sale in Toronto was, at $20,027, marginally up on the previous year. Averages at the equivalent CTHS sale in Alberta, meanwhile, rose to more than $10,500 from $8,350 in 2020 and, at the CTHS auction in BC, results were even better, with an average price of $15,959 representing a near 20% boost on the same sale 12 months ago.

Like many jurisdictions around the world, Canadian racing has endured a torrid 12 months. However, with the commitment of many and the assured steering of a few others, the sport has, so far, withstood the many blows from COVID-19 and can begin once more to consider the future with real hope.

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Century Mile: Two Additional Race Dates Cancelled Due To Equine Influenza Outbreak

Horse Racing Alberta, Alberta Standardbred Horse Association and the Century Mile Race Office are continuing to monitor the equine influenza outbreak at Century Mile Racetrack and Casino. Our equine and human athletes' safety is our top priority, and it is the recommendation of the Official Veterinarian that live racing be cancelled on Friday, Dec. 3 and Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021.

Official qualifiers are currently scheduled for Monday, Dec. 6, 2021.

In response to the cancelled race days, Horse Racing Alberta and Alberta Standardbred Horse Association will distribute purse funds to support horsemen who have been impacted by the cancellations.

Alberta Standardbred Horse Association has recommended the following changes to the racing schedule:

  • Dec. 17, 2021: Eliminations for Western Canada Pacing Derby and Century Casinos Filly Pace
  • Dec. 18, 2021: Additional race day added to schedule
  • Dec. 31, 2021: Western Canada Pacing Derby and Century Casinos Filly Pace

Horse Racing Alberta would like to thank all the trainers, veterinarians, staff at Century Mile and the Alberta Standardbred Horse Association for their collaboration and cooperation.

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Equine Virus Outbreak Halts Racing At Century Mile In Alberta

Horse Racing Alberta, Alberta Standardbred Horse Association and the Century Mile Race Office are monitoring an equine virus outbreak at Century Mile Racetrack and Casino.

Our equine and human athletes' safety is our top priority, and we are working closely with official and on-site veterinarians and trainers at the track and training facilities. Century Mile Racetrack and Casino Infectious Disease Protocols have been ordered and the track is closed to horses moving on or off the property. These measures are in place to ensure that our equine athletes have the most up to date health and safety management protocols.

All affected horses have been placed and will remain in isolation with rigorous disinfection of stalls, tack and equipment for a minimum of seven days.
The isolated horses will continue to be assessed and treated by attending veterinarians.

Horses who were scratched on Nov. 19, 2021, have been placed on the Vet List and will not be cleared to race until they are removed from the Vet List by the Horse Racing Alberta Commission Vet.

Racing has been cancelled for Nov. 26 and 27, 2021.

We are cautiously optimistic that racing will resume Dec. 3, but further delays might be necessary for the health of the horses and control of the outbreak.

Alberta Standardbred Horse Association has recommended the following changes to the racing schedule:

Dec. 3, 2021: Regular race card, overnights only
Dec. 17, 2021: Eliminations for Western Canada Pacing Derby and Century Casinos Filly Pace
Dec. 18, 2021: Additional race day added to schedule
Dec. 31, 2021: Western Canada Pacing Derby and Century Casinos Filly Pace

Horse Racing Alberta would like to thank all the trainers, veterinarians, staff at Century Mile and the Alberta Standardbred Horse Association for their collaboration and diligence in addressing the situation.

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