Fort Erie to Open June 2; Prince of Wales Date Set
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Photo: Michael Burns
Tone Broke wins the 2019 Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie
Fort Erie's 2020 racing season will return June 2 with an empty grandstand for the first time in its 123-year history as racing in Ontario resumes without spectators, the racetrack announced May 19. The track's feature race, the Prince of Wales Stakes, is scheduled for Sept. 29.
The live racing calendar will have a revised schedule this season, running on Mondays and Tuesdays with a first post of 1:20 p.m. ET. Closing day will be Oct. 13.
"Since we will be required to race without fans to start out the year, we decided to move live racing to Monday and Tuesday at 1:20 p.m. in order to reduce our competition in the simulcast market and maximize our revenue from simulcast wagering," said Tom Valiquette, chief operating and financial officer of the Fort Erie Live Racing Consortium.
The CA$400,000 Prince of Wales Stakes, the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, was originally scheduled for July 21, but Fort Erie announced April 2 that the race was postponed following Woodbine's postponement of the first leg, the Queen's Plate, due to their delayed racing season start because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The two races are typically held three weeks apart, with the first run at 1 1/4 miles on Tapeta and the second 1 3/16 miles on dirt.
Woodbine announced May 18 that the Queen's Plate has been postponed to Sept. 12 from June 27. The date for the the Breeders' Stakes, the third leg run at 1 1/2 miles on Woodbine's turf, is expected to be announced May 20.
"With or without fans, the Prince of Wales Stakes and the Canadian Triple Crown are important to Canadian thoroughbred racing, and we are committed to continuing this historic tradition this year, despite current challenges," said Valiquette.
Ontario gave horse racing approval to begin without spectators in stage 1 of their framework to reopen the province. Fort Erie has been working closely with Ontario Racing, the Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, as well as all governing agencies for racing in Ontario in order to put strict safety policies in place and reduce the impact of COVID-19.
Fort Erie will continue to follow provincial guidelines regarding spectators attending events. Fans who are looking to watch the races can do so online. Wagering on horse racing in Ontario will only be available through HPIbet.