Members of the horseracing community in Essex County are proposing a new racetrack in Lakeshore. The idea came from Ontario Harness Horse Association director Mark Williams and local veterinarian Paul Branton. With the closure of Windsor Raceway, the pair decided the best alternative would be a new not-for-profit track, owned and operated by horse people. They recruited Lakeshore Mayor Tom Bain and others to form the Lakeshore Horse Raceway committee. The group’s website, Lakeshorehorseraceway.com, states Lakeshore is the perfect location for a track because historically, the Windsor area has had the second largest betting handle in Ontario and building a new track just twenty minutes off the Ambasador Bridge gives easy access to American customers. “It’s a top location in Ontario,” says Branton. Committee members say it will help retain and create thousands of local jobs. Supporters can help out by signing a petition on their website. A large number of breeders and supporters of the horseracing community were at Thursday’s announcement at the Leamington Fairgrounds.
