The local horse racing season is around the corner.
Members of the Lakeshore Horse Racing Association continue to prepare for the upcoming season.
Association member Tom Bain says the season gets underway on Sunday August 11 at the Leamington Raceway.
He says they have made big improvements to the track.
"We put new stone on the whole track," he says. "So we've improved our track, we've improved our paddock and we've made some improvements to the grand stand. So should be another great season."
Bain says he's looking forward to this year's season.
"We're preparing for our season and really looking forward to probably a bigger and better season than last year," says Bain.
He says he has talked to many people and they can't wait for the season to begin.
"It's such a great family day," he says. "It's a real entertainment for everyone and we have a huge community support for our racing season."
According to Bain, attendance was up during last year's 13-week race season.
He says the association also saw an increase in the average for overall betting.
In 2022, the betting average was about $40,000 while in 2023 the average topped $50,000.
This year's race season wraps up on Sunday, November 3.