Woodbine to Add Second Turf Course for 2019 Season

Noting that the addition will allow the track to contest more turf races, owner Woodbine Entertainment plans to add a second grass course at Woodbine Racetrack in 2019.

The new course will replace the current Standardbred track. Standardbred racing dates will be moved from Woodbine to Mohawk. Construction of the new seven-furlong course will begin in the spring of 2018.

The second turf course will complement the existing and renowned E.P. Taylor Turf Course, home to the Breeders' Stakes, third jewel of Canada's Triple Crown, the Ricoh Woodbine Mile (G1), and the Pattison Canadian International (G1).

"This is an historic day for Thoroughbred racing at Woodbine," said Woodbine Entertainment CEO Jim Lawson. "Enhancing our turf program with a second grass course, with its exciting additional racing possibilities and tremendous fan appeal, fits well with Woodbine Entertainment's core mandate of achieving the highest quality of horse racing."

Earlier this month, Woodbine Entertainment announced plans to invest more than $10 million in the company's Standardbred track in Campbellville, allowing Standardbred horses to compete at Mohawk year-round. Standardbred horses will race at Woodbine for the final time in April 2018, paving the way for a second grass course at Woodbine and dedicated facilities for each breed.

Woodbine Entertainment will undergo a corporate and racetrack rebrand to be rolled out over the next 18 months. Highlights of the rebrand include a modern logo, bold colors, eye-catching fonts, and the tagline, "a new breed of experience." 

Both the Toronto and Campbellville racetracks will be known as Woodbine with the western GTA track retaining its history through the use of a location descriptor, Woodbine at Mohawk Park.

"The Woodbine brand stands for integrity and world-class racing product, for both Thoroughbred and Sstandardbred racing," said Lawson. "Woodbine Entertainment's future growth will come from international markets. Our powerful regional brand will seek to become a powerful global brand. This is why we will become one brand, to grow our racing product internationally."

The new branding, dedicated facilities, and second turf course support the company's property development plans to develop the value of the lands at Woodbine Racetrack to create a sustainable future for horse racing in Ontario. 

The catalyst for the development and increased investment in the facilities is the result of expanded gaming being conditionally approved by Toronto city council in 2015. The site's current gaming operator, the OLG, secured a long-term lease with the racetrack and will announce a new private gaming partner later this summer as part of the OLG's modernization plan. 

Woodbine Entertainment has developed a master plan to create a city within a city in northwest Toronto. The plan sets out a detailed roadmap that will create thousands of new local jobs in the community, introduce new fans to the sport of horse racing, and be a transformative project for the City of Toronto in the years to come.