London’s Western Fair Raceway has announced a kick-off date for its harness racing season.
The Raceway typically holds races four days a week, including a qualifier race before the main event on Friday, but has been closed over the spring and summer.
The venue specializes in harness races, where the horse carries the rider behind them in a two-wheeled cart called a sulky or spider. This sport uses a special breed of horses, called standardbreds, and Western Fair races see them do two laps around a half-mile track.
The London season typically runs from October to May, culminating in the Camluck Classic, an annual race for a $150,000 stake named after Canada’s most prolific harness racing champion horse.
Ontario’s horse racing industry has gradually returned over recent weeks, with tracks like Leamington Raceway returning to regular operations. Leamington’s races will initially be limited to 100 spectators, who will have to register in advance. Tracks have turned to digital outreach through live streaming of races and archived video, along with time-tested means like poster printing. The Western Fair partakes in this with features like ‘Sugar’s Selection’, highlighting horses who may do well in the next race.
The official launch date for harness racing at the Western Fair raceway is October 9. Information about fan attendance and race line-ups will be released in the weeks to come.
