The first Saturday in May is traditionally a day set aside for horse racing enthusiasts for the Kentucky Derby, but in Canadian harness racing circles there's a different reason for having May 7, 2022 circled on the calendar.
Fans of racing were asked in the latest SC web poll for the Canadian racetrack not currently conducting live racing that they most look forward to seeing back in action this year. The track that emerged victorious from that poll: Red Shores Racetrack & Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park in Charlottetown, P.E.I.
The home of the famous Gold Cup & Saucer, Charlottetown Driving Park received 18 percent of the votes cast to top the voting. Rounding out the top five of the web poll: Grand River Raceway in Elora, Ont. with a solid 16 percent, with Fraserville's Kawartha Downs (11%), Innisfil's Georgian Downs (9%) in third and fourth respectively, with Clinton and Hanover Raceways (7%) tied for fifth.
After its traditional winter break, Red Shores Racetrack & Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park is set to once again host live harness racing on Saturday, May 7 with dates scheduled through the rest of the calendar year.
The full voting breakdown in the SC web poll is as follows:
- Red Shores Racetrack & Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park - 18% (329 votes)
- Grand River Raceway - 16% (291 votes)
- Kawartha Downs - 11% (199 votes)
- Georgian Downs - 9% (166 votes)
- Clinton Raceway - 7% (119 votes)
- Hanover Raceway - 7% (119 votes)
- Hippodrome 3R - 6% (104 votes)
- Dresden Raceway - 4% (71 votes)
- Truro Raceway - 4% (67 votes)
- Northside Downs - 3% (60 votes)
- Hiawatha Horse Park - 3% (47 votes)
- Leamington Raceway - 3% (47 votes)
- Inverness Raceway - 2% (43 votes)
- Red Shores at the Summerside Raceway - 2% (37 votes)
- Exhibition Park Raceway - 2% (34 votes)
- The Track On 2 - 2% (29 votes)
- Century Mile - 1% (26 votes)
- The Loop - 1% (22 votes)
- Miami Fair - 1% (18 votes)
Check out and vote on our latest web poll question here: Of the 20 top money-winning horses from 2021 returning to the racetrack in 2022, which Standardbred do you feel will have the best chance to match or exceed their 2021 earnings this year?