The track opened its meet last Sunday with fans putting more than $86,000 through the mutuels. Events still to come include Bob McIntosh Day on Aug. 25 and the return of Hall of Fame race caller Frank Salive to his hometown on Sept. 8.

by Matthew Lomon

If opening day at Leamington Raceway was any indication of what lies ahead, the 2024 campaign could be a historic one for the Southwestern Ontario racing venue.

On day one of its 12-week program on Sunday (Aug. 11), the quaint half-mile track generated over $86,000 — its highest single-card handle since Leamington reopened in 2013 — and as track announcer Nathan Bain put it, that’s no small feat.

“It was incredible,” Bain said. “The entire place was packed, the crowd was screaming, and that definitely makes my job easier as an announcer because you really feed off the crowd.

“You could hear the cheering echoing throughout the track, and that’s pretty exciting for racing these days.”

For Bain, who spends the first half of his summer about an hour northeast calling the races at Dresden Raceway, the transition between tracks is typically seamless.

That’s because, in addition to most of the staff migrating over from Dresden, the horse population and driver colony also remains largely the same.

While Bain noted that some horsepeople take their craft elsewhere, the ones that descend on Leamington tend to have been doing so for some time.

The 22-year-old said that level of familiarity was apparent on opening day as the 10-race card ran “quite fast.”

It was especially expeditious for driver Garrett Rooney, who added four tallies to his season total (208 and counting).

“He’s been having a strong year at all the tracks,” Bain said. “Fans are familiar with him, and they love to watch him at Leamington.”

And for good reason.

The Iona, ON-based reinsman paced Leamington’s driver colony in wins (40), earnings ($126,42), win percentage (37.7) and UDRS (.514) through the 2023 season.

With the first day of the meet officially in the rearview, Bain and Co’s. focus now shifts to other important dates on the calendar.

One of which being Bob McIntosh Day on Aug. 25.

The revered dual Hall of Fame trainer died on July 28 at the age of 71.

“It’s going to be a jam-packed day,” Bain said. “We were originally going to do something to honor Bob that day and have him there. But unfortunately, his recent passing happened, and we changed it right away to honor his legacy.

“He’s just such a big part of racing here in Windsor-Essex, obviously, being in both Hall of Fames, and he still had a pretty active stable, and was competing at the top level. The news is a huge shake up for everybody, but we’re looking forward to honoring him on what should be a very special day.”

McIntosh’s family, friends, and fans will gather to celebrate the legendary horseman’s legacy with stories, as well as a display featuring photos and a video tribute.

As for Bain, who will be occupying his regular post that day, the memorial is a chance to reflect on the profound impact one man had on harness racing in Southwestern Ontario.

“To see someone like Bob honored, especially being from my own area, it’s really unique to see all the amazing things he accomplished,” Bain said. “After Windsor Raceway, a lot of people left the area, but Bob is one of the few people that continued to operate his stable in Windsor after the closure.

“It’s been very cool to see how many good horses have come out of an area where I’ve been my whole life. That’s something very special.”

Coinciding with Bob McIntosh Day is Leamington Raceway’s open house, which will treat fans who register to a behind-the-scenes tour of the property.

The on-air broadcast will also feature a guest appearance from popular harness racing analyst and commentator Robert Reid, Jr.

Looking ahead, the second Sunday in September marks the return of Leamington royalty in Hall of Fame announcer Frank Salive, who is set to return to his hometown track for a day in his honor.

The renowned race caller officially hung up the headset in 2021, but a return to the booth, even for a day, has always been in the cards.

“This is something we’ve wanted to do for a while, and I had been talking to Frank about it,” Bain said. “We couldn’t make it happen last year, but Sept. 8 seemed to be a good day.

“Frank used to announce Leamington, and he’s a Leamington native, so the area means a lot to him, and especially to what he’s gone on to do. He’s in the Hall of Fame. He’s called races at Pompano, Woodbine, Fort Erie, Western Fair, you name it, and accomplished so many incredible things.”

Although the finer details are still being ironed out, Bain said the plan is for Salive to announce approximately five races and then head downstairs for a meet and greet.

Throughout his travels and many successes, the man with some 200,000 calls on his resume has always found time for Leamington.

“Frank’s a really good person,” Bain said. “He reaches out to me from time to time, and tunes into Leamington almost every week. It goes to show just how much Leamington Raceway means to him.”

Fans and horseplayers near and far can join Salive by tuning into Leamington’s live race dates every Sunday until Nov. 3 on YouTube (@Leamingtonraceway2155), Facebook (Lakeshore Horse Racing Association), and HPItv.

Since making its triumphant return 11 years ago, Leamington has been a boon for the present and future well-being of harness racing in Essex County and beyond.

“It’s been such a great area for racing partly because it’s very close to the border,” Bain said. “When Windsor Raceway closed, there was such a massive fan base and those betters and fans wanted something, not necessarily to replace the raceway but a spot to enjoy racing. The fans continue to prove just how much of a staple this area is for harness racing in Ontario.

“It’s amazing to see how much people have supported it. We’ll race deep into the fall and people still come out every week and pack the grandstand. It just goes to show how dedicated they are.”