Rideau Carleton Raceway ending horse racing program

Qualifying races at Rideau Carleton Raceway. Ottawa, ON. June 3, 2020. (Tyler Fleming / CTV Ottawa)

The Rideau Carleton Raceway is shutting down its horse racing program, the raceway’s operators say.

According to a news release from Ontario Racing and the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, despite recent investments in the track’s infrastructure, the raceway is no longer sustainable.

“We made significant investments in racing infrastructure and adjusted our operations multiple times over the last three years; however, a sustainable path forward was not possible,” Christine Crump, president of Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Ottawa, said in the statement.

The 2026 season was set to start in March but did not begin and the program closure is going into effect immediately.

According to the statement, 14 employees will be affected by the program closure but are being offered alternative employment within the organization, as well as skills training.

Ontario Racing says a portion of funding typically provided to the Rideau Carleton Raceway will be used to create a relocation support program and to support purses for horse racing at other racetracks in Ontario.

“Ontario Racing encourages the Ottawa area horsepeople to continue racing in Ontario at any of the 11 Standardbred racetracks,” Andrew Gaughan, independent chair of Ontario Racing, said in the statement.

In 2017, the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation selected Hard Rock International to become the operator of the casino at Rideau Carleton Raceway, and Hard Rock Hotel and Casino says it operated three race seasons as the sole owner of the track.

With files from CTV’s Josh Pringle.

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