Spectators to return to Fort Erie Race Track on July 12
Published July 6, 2021 at 6:09 pm
Spectators can return to Fort Erie Race Track starting on July 12. The live races will be open to the public every Monday and Tuesday from that point on.
While the ownership group, Fort Erie Live Racing Consortium, has not yet announced how many spectators will be allowed, saying only a “limited number,” the Province’s Stage Two capacity limits for “non-essential” services is presently set at 25 per cent.
All COVID-19 restrictions, such as face masks and social distancing, are expected to be enforced at the track.
The track, originally built in 1897, has a colourful history. Often referred to as “The Border Oval,” given its proximity to the US border (less than two kilometres), the property was purchased by renowned Canadian horseman E.P. Taylor in 1952.
At the time, it was restricted to just 14 days of racing a year. Taylor closed many of the smaller tracks around Ontario and instead focused on developing Thoroughbred racing in Toronto and Fort Erie.
The Prince of Wales Stakes is Fort Erie’s most important annual event. It was first run in 1929 but achieved its current prominence in 1959 when Taylor made it the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown.
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