The Lakeshore Horse Racing Association welcomes an amended funding agreement with Ontario Lottery and Gaming
The future of horse racing in Leamington has been secured for at least the next five years.
The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation has amended its funding agreement which will now see money continue to flow until March 2026.
Tom Bain with the Lakeshore Horse Racing Association says this ensures all 15 horse tracks in Ontario will receive race dates each year for the life of the agreement.
Bain says, without a long range plan, many breeders would drop out.
"If there's no guarantee and you know that it's going to be three years before your horse will be racing, you don't bother with investing that kind of money. So this is certainly going to keep those who are in the game in the game and it's going to entice more people to join us," he says.
Bain says this will help keep thousands of people employed.
"They'll know that there's a job there for them of one kind or another for the next five years. The stables will not be cutting back. They're going to be increasing the number of horses that they have in the stables and you'll get a better quality and a higher calibre of horses racing in the area when there's stability," he says.
Bain says 13 race dates are guaranteed for 2021, but a request has been made for 15.
"We haven't heard definitely whether we'll receive those two extra days, but we've been guaranteed our 13. So it's just great news for horse people around Windsor and Essex County," he says.
Bain says, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 race season was a success with the final Sunday of the year bringing in more than $40,000 in bets.
Planning for the 2021 season is already underway.