by Matthew Lomon

Clear skies, a community feel, and a compelling 10-race card paved the way for yet another successful season finale at Leamington Raceway.

The southwestern, ON oval officially wrapped up its 13-week 2024 program on Sunday (Nov. 3).

“For the beginning of November, the weather was excellent,” said track announcer Nathan Bain, who assumed the role in 2020 as an 18-year-old. “Overall, we had a good crowd on hand. There was plenty of great racing, and the fields have stayed pretty steady right to the end.”

That desirable combination enabled Leamington to deliver strong wagering results throughout its 2024 meet.

The half-mile track got out to a hot start on opening day (Aug. 11), recording its highest single-card handle since the raceway reopened in 2013 ($86,380).

Altogether, handle reached $784,706 (awaiting confirmation of Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency), good for an average of $60,362 per race day (13 total).

Leamington’s closing day output finished slightly below the mean at $55,875.

However, as Bain noted, that figure remains encouraging and a notable step up from marks set in previous years.

The voice of Leamington racing also noticed an intriguing trend within this year’s customer base.

“We hosted a lot of new fans that we’ve never seen before,” Bain said. “For us, the on-track atmosphere — we have a simulcast cast, too, and there’s got to be a proper balance — is essential for building a base of young fans who are coming out every week, because we have to make sure that we have future fans of this sport.”

To do this, the folks at Leamington effectively executed a plan that enticed fans, both novice and veteran, to come out to the races.

While the on-track product always took precedent, this plan involved creating a family-first atmosphere through special events and theme days.

Whether it was fresh displays like Driver Appreciation Day (Sept. 15) and Seniors Day (Sept. 22), or familiar favorites in Fan Appreciation Day (Oct. 20) and the beloved Wiener Dog Races (Oct. 6), the community showed up in droves.

“On Wiener Dog Day [Oct. 6], we saw almost 2,000 people,” Bain said. “You couldn’t even move in the grandstand.

“Looking ahead, it’s about continuing to build on our events. Generating awareness for the racetrack is so important. I was really happy to see how our special days came along this year.”

Those who attended on closing day were treated to a stellar day of racing, headlined by the Lakeshore Cup.

The $8,000 invitational for the meet’s top earning preferred trotters went to 6-year-old son of Deep Chip—Lexis Electra, Shouldaknownbetter and veteran reinsman Lorne House.

“It was an interesting race,” Bain said. “A couple of the top trotters that we’ve seen all season made breaks, rare breaks, but Shouldaknownbetter has been racing really well lately.

“He’s a tough horse to beat on the front and has gotten along well with Lorne, who came midway through the meet as part of the driving colony, and we’ve seen him in the winner’s circle two, three times a day. He had a great meet himself.”

Despite a later arrival to the Leamington party, House finished tied with Nick Steward for the third-most wins (18) amongst drivers.

Robert Doyle and his 19 tallies landed in second behind Garrett Rooney’s 32 – the B-track star also stands as Western Fair’s leading driver with 130 victories and $750,116 banked (as of Nov. 5).

Bain believes that having such remarkable driving talent routinely steer through Leamington is crucial for both horseplayers and the oval’s overall wagering output.

“Not only is Garrett the leading driver at all the small tracks down this way, but he’s the leading driver at Western Fair,” Bain said. “I think that has generated quite a following to him.

“The horseplayers, they see familiarity in drivers like Garrett Rooney, Lorne House, Nick Steward, and Scott Wray, who are regulars at London, and that makes them more comfortable betting Leamington, more familiar with it.”

And that familiarity is just as meaningful to the casual follower.

“The fans love them,” Bain said. “They come to know these drivers and cheer for them every week.”

On a personal note, the recent Leamington program was especially rewarding for the Bain family.

Nathan’s father David Bain, who took on full-time training duties in 2020, finished tied for the third most wins (seven) and fourth-highest earnings total ($23,614) of all conditioners.

Across 117 total starts, David sports a 22-14-19 line with over $83,500 banked (all as of Nov. 6).

For Nathan, who works closely with his dad’s charges, watching them barrel towards the finish line from the race caller’s booth is somewhat of a tightrope act.

“That’s a hard part of the job,” Nathan said with a laugh. “I try my best to stay neutral and professional. It’s very nerve-wracking, but it’s even more special for me because I work with the horses every single day, running the stable, and it’s definitely extra special getting to see them win.

“It was our best season yet at Leamington, and one of our best seasons overall. It was a fun year, no doubt.”

While transitioning into off-season mode is bittersweet, Nathan is optimistic that 2025 will bring just as much cheer as the season that was.

As for what Leamington’s loyal fan base can expect next season, perhaps regarding possible venue upgrades or special events, nothing is concrete just yet.

That said, Nathan can foresee a potentially grand improvement coming down the line.

“The budget is still yet to be approved,” he said. “There are always things that we can hopefully get done, and nothing’s for sure yet, but it’d be great to do a little something in the grandstand. That would be great to see, but nothing’s official yet.

“This past year, they put all new matting and stone in the paddock, so the backstretch is pretty well done. They put up a new test barn last year with about 20 stalls in it. Hopefully, there can be some improvements to come in the grandstand in the next few seasons.

“That’s something we could all enjoy.”