North America’s oldest continually run horse stakes race is back on Friday afternoon after rain washed out the 165th running of the King’s Plate last weekend.
The annual race was postponed Saturday after a heavy rainstorm made conditions on the Woodbine Racetrack in Etobicoke unsafe for horses, organizers said.
Woodbine Entertainment CEO Michel Copeland said it was a tough call Saturday, but he was happy fans still stuck around for a party after the race was cancelled and were back for more with the sun shining Friday. He said organizers worked hard to make it feel like an “authentic race day” Friday.
“We’ve earned today’s weather,” he said.
“There was a lot of challenges, a lot of disappointment coming out of last weekend,” Copeland said. “Our customers and fans were unbelievable in terms of their support and their patience as we worked through it.”
The main event got underway at 5:34 p.m., with 13 contestants competing for the $1 million King’s Plate, the first leg of the OLG Canadian Triple Crown.
Jockey Rafael Hernandez, who won the King’s Plate Friday evening with the horse Caitlinhergrtness, told CBC News before the races that the rain delay was disappointing, but shouldn’t affect the performance of jockeys or horses. He said he was happy they weren’t made to race in Saturday’s weather.
“I think they made the right decision for the horses,” he said.
Last week’s cancelled event drew a crowd of about 17,000 people, Leanne Elnicki, communications manager for Woodbine Entertainment, told reporters Saturday. Guests included Olympic breaking gold medallist Phil Wizard.
Many fans who were out last weekend came back Friday, including Stephanie Tappin, who had to take the day off work this time to catch the race. She says it was worth the second trip, and she made sure to wear a fresh fascinator from her closet for the new race day.
“I do tea parties and stuff so I’m well prepared,” she said.
On its website, Woodbine Entertainment said grandstand tickets from Saturday were refunded and entrance to the grandstand Friday was made free.
The annual race began in 1860 after the Toronto Turf Club petitioned Queen Victoria to grant a plate for a race in Ontario. It was then known as the Queen’s Plate. That was also the name of the race from 1952 to 2022, during Elizabeth II’s reign.
