Fort Erie, Woodbine at Odds Over Triple Crown Schedule

Fort Erie Race Track is clashing with Woodbine over changes to the Canadian Triple Crown schedule as well as over rules that Woodbine has put in place on shipping between the two tracks.

Saying the two tracks have reached an impasse on talks to resolve the ongoing issues, Fort Erie Live Racing Consortium has filed a grievance with the Canadian Trade Commission. In an April 18 release, Fort Erie officials said they hope the filing leads to a resolution "that benefits the entire horse racing community."

Fort Erie officials would like to see the Canadian Triple Crown dates return to their traditional schedule of the King's Plate Stakes in June at Woodbine, the Prince of Wales Stakes in July at Fort Erie, and the Breeders' Stakes in August at Woodbine. Fort Erie officials said that when the King's Plate (then known as the Queen's Plate) was pushed into September during COVID years, it resulted in reduced interest in the Prince of Wales because summer tourism season concludes before the race date.

"The Prince of Wales Stakes has a long tradition of being one of the biggest summertime tourist attractions in our town," said Fort Erie council member George McDermott. "The Fort Erie Race Track was accommodating during the COVID crisis and moved their Triple Crown race down the calendar, but the pandemic is behind us now and Woodbine should be moving the King's Plate back to June in order to let the Prince of Wales Stakes move back to July, because having it after Labour Day, when the key summer tourism season is over, does not allow Fort Erie to meet its maximum potential for such a historic and esteemed event."

The tracks also are at odds over a Woodbine policy that restricts movement between the two tracks. The Fort Erie Live Racing Consortium said the policy amounts to Woodbine abusing its position as the dominant market force, which is hampering Fort Erie's ability to run a business and a fulsome race calendar. 

"Woodbine holds a near monopoly in our industry," said FELRC CEO Jim Thibert. "Woodbine's business practices toward Fort Erie are unfair and clearly predatory. While this situation is particularly harmful for the continued existence of racing at Fort Erie, it is genuinely harmful for the owners, trainers, jockeys, and others employed directly in racing and indirectly in services to the thoroughbred racing industry in Ontario."

Woodbine officials said the concerns are without merit.

"The assertions made by Fort Erie Race Track are baseless and without merit and we will vigorously and confidently defend ourselves if requested by the Canadian Trade Commission or any other regulatory authority," Woodbine said in an April 18 statement. "We are very proud of the vital role we play in supporting the strength, success, and growth of the Ontario horse racing industry. We are very much looking forward to starting our 2023 meet this Saturday. We will have no further comment on this matter at this time."

The filing with the Canadian Trade Commission includes an exhibit that outlines Woodbine's "Race & Stay" program for 2022. It states that any horse that leaves Woodbine to race at Fort Erie will be required to stay at the Fort Erie meet for the remainder of that meet. It goes on to say that when the Fort Erie meeting concludes, the horses that shipped out will be permitted to return.

"Woodbine stalls are reserved for horses that race consistently at Woodbine and fill cards on-site," the 2022 policy states. "Fort Erie stalls are available for horses that will be racing at Fort Erie."

The program does not apply to horses shipping out for any stakes race.