Betting at Leamington Raceway has snapped a record in its first race day of the season.
"It was fantastic," says Lakeshore Mayor Tom Bain who is also a member of the Lakeshore Horse Racing Association, which operates harness horse racing at Leamington Raceway. "The crowds were huge there. The grandstand, top and bottom were full."
Bain says betting for Sunday was close to $40,000, a record for the opening day and the second highest total in the history of the raceway.
"It was much better than what we expected," he says, adding it bodes well for the group's future. "We are out-betting any of our local neighbouring tracks. It sends that message to Toronto that we are alive, well, and growing."
The Lakeshore Horse Racing Association had a record breaking season last year, with average betting around $28,000 for each Sunday in 2016.