Quarter horse racing returns to Ajax Downs this summer but on a much smaller scale
When summer roles around in Ajax, Ontario one of the best things to do is go bet on the ponies.
Ajax Downs is not only a casino (slots only) but it is also home to one of two quarter horse racetracks in Ontario. For those of you who do not know, quarter horse racing, as the name implies, means the horses only race using a quarter of the track. They do not run the full length like you may see at other racetracks.
Cozy indoor area for simulcast betting. Or, a nice place to cool off in the summer.
Although the races do not last as long, they are just as exciting.
At Ajax Downs you can get up close and personal with the horses before and during the races. You can watch them before and during the post parade and then you can also go right down to track level to watch them fly through the finish line. It can be very exhilarating!
Horse racing is a good activity to do because it can be inexpensive. You can choose to do only a two dollar bet for a horse to show. That means if that horse comes anywhere in the top three, you win! Simple as that. Picking the favorite almost guarantees your money back if you go this route, at the very least.
Here is a sample of what a typical race looks like. Check it out below …
Even though the amount of money being bet on the horses at Ajax Downs has increased every year, they were still facing trouble. It was a possibility the horses would not run this year.
That, however, changed, and an agreement has been reached between the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Quarter Racing Owners of Ontario Inc. Good news too, considering if an agreement was not completed then the racetrack at Ajax Downs would have been nonoperational this year. Something that has not happened in the area since the 1960’s.
There will be no assistance from the government to help fund the races now, as part of the agreement in place. This means the total purse pool will drop considerably, from nine million last season to only three million this year.
Hang tight on to these. Especially if they are a winner!
It will also mean a drop in the amount of days the horses will race. Click below to see a graph on this stat …
Race Days at Ajax Downs (Graph – Click Here)
All in all, the problem has been sorted out, for now.
There will be racing at the track this summer and it is a great spot to visit and hang out. You can make it a whole day affair. I sure do, on numerous occasions.
Monday, May 20 is opening day. Starting the next week after, the horses will race every Tuesday and Sunday until October, 15.
Hometown Hint: When the horses are racing live at Ajax Downs they sometimes open up a second betting station. You can find this at the north end of the stands. Thus, avoiding long lines and not getting your bet in on time.
Hometown Traveller 