About Woodbine

Acknowledged pretty much by all as the premier racing facility in Canada, Woodbine Racetrack is located in Toronto, Ontario and features three tracks for thoroughbred and harness racing on both turf and dirt surfaces.

The Queen’s Plate, Canada’s oldest thoroughbred horse race, is run at Woodbine and forms part of the Canadian Triple Crown.

The Woodbine Mile, the E.P. Taylor Stakes and especially the Canadian International are three of Woodbine’s huge Grade 1 turf races, the latter being especially popular with European raiders who have been very successful in winning this race over the years.

Racing at Woodbine is well supported despite a huge TV audience for the big races with a record crowd of over 42,000 at the track, 13,000 accommodated in seated areas.

Woodbine is the only race track in the continent which is capable of staging both thoroughbred and standardbred horse racing on the same day, although the bulk of standardbred racing in the area is held at Mohawk Raceway in Campbellville.

The track sits right by Toronto Pearson Airport in the city of Etobikoce, 18 miles from the middle of Toronto and around the same to Brampton.

Woodbine History

Racing has been taking place at Woodbine since way back in 1874 when the original race track was opened at what was in those days the eastern outskirts of Toronto.

The action at the original site lasted for 82 years before the new (and current) facility was opened in 1956 and in 1994 after 120 years of thoroughbred racing, Woodbine began its harness racing program.

In 1976, Woodbine Racetrack was chosen as the venue for the summer Paralympics and in 1996 the track hosted the Breeders’ Cup Championships.

In the year 2000 slot machines, like at so many other tracks around North America, were introduced at Woodbine and with revenue high these days there is little sign of things abating at a track featuring five Grade 1 turf races.

Woodbine Track Details

The one-and-a-half-mile turf track, made up of Kentucky Bluegrass, is the main draw at Woodbine and sits outside a synthetic “all-weather” track. The AW track is now made up of Tapeta, but for over a decade was Polytrack and before that it was standard dirt and is one mile long.

The standardbred track is even further inside and is 7/8 of a mile in length, made up this time of crushed limestone.

Biggest Races

Some huge races are run at Woodbine every year and you can read about the run-up to them on your blog.

Woodbine Mile (Grade 1) – one mile (turf), three-year-olds and over (September).
Northern Dancer Turf Stakes (Grade 1) – 1½ miles (turf), three-year-olds and over (September).
Canadian International Stakes (Grade 1) – 1½ miles (turf), three-year-olds and over (October).
E.P. Taylor Stakes (Grade 1) – 1¼ miles (turf), three-year-olds and over (October).
Nearctic Stakes (Grade 1) – six furlongs (turf), three-year-olds and over (October).

Place Your Woodbine Bets With TVG!

Now you know all about the famous track at Woodbine, don’t forget you can wager on races there with TVG. Head to our schedules page to check out the latest race times then bet and watch live!

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Address

555 Rexdale Blvd, Toronto, ON M9W 5L2, Canada

Contact

Alex Fanti (afanti@woodbineentertainment.com)