by Matthew Lomon

A delayed start to the season due to ongoing grandstand renovations didn’t deter the Clinton Raceway faithful from showing up in droves for the track’s season-opening card on Sunday (June 1).

Unbothered by any construction-related limitations, fans of all ages proudly packed into the picturesque half-mile oval for an opening day unlike no other in recent memory.

The outpouring of support was not lost on Clinton, ON, native and raceway manager Ian Fleming.

“Opening day typically brings lots of people out and this year was no different,” Fleming said. “It was great to see such an enthusiastic crowd join us, especially considering it wasn’t a great day for weather, either. That speaks volumes about the character of our fans.”

While the renovations are still a few weeks away from being completed, Fleming added that the project was “certainly far enough along to race safely.”

Clinton’s marketing manager Jessica Carnochan echoed Fleming’s sentiment in a statement on the track’s official website.

“It was really great to get back and welcome fans to the new facility,” Carnochan said. “While it’s not exactly where we’d like it to be, more things went right than wrong today.

“We want to thank the fans for their understanding and commitment to our small track, it really is going to be worth it when it’s all set and ready to go.”

The two-week delay to opening day — originally scheduled for May 18 — also had no adverse effect on handle.

In fact, it was the exact opposite.

Clinton collected just shy of $83,000 in total wagers on opening day ($82,899), marking an increase of nearly $20,000 over last season’s first-card figure ($64,042).

The eagerly awaited return of racing, coupled with five Prospect Series races, Fleming said, supplied the jolt.

“The Prospect Series is always good for handle,” he said. “You get some different faces and young horses competing, and that enthusiasm translated into a strong handle on Sunday.”

Also responsible for the uptick in attendance and wagering was the first of several fundraisers coming to Clinton in 2025.

Central Huron Secondary School once again got the fundraising festivities underway, raising north of $5,000 with support from sponsors and racing fans.

“There were a lot of teachers and students from the local high school here on opening day,” Fleming said. “They came out and supported us, bet a few dollars or bought a hot dog, and, we in turn, were able to weave our customers over to their silent auction and 50-50 raffle.

“There’s a synergy there that you wouldn’t get if you didn’t involve groups in the community.”

Retired teacher and current Clinton race caller Tim O’Connor added another layer of levity to the already upbeat season opener when he sneezed in the middle of a call.

The spontaneous sternutation returned a ripple of laughter from the crowd, and Fleming.

“That was a funny moment,” Fleming said. “Tim, being a former teacher, was quite engaged in raising money for the high school. He knew some of the teachers in attendance so I’m sure they got a good laugh out of it.”

On the track, driver Samuel Fillion also had a day to remember, netting a hat trick.

The Mont-Joli, QC-based reinsman got the ball rolling with 4-year-old pacer Hogwash in race 2 before striking again in race 6 (Prospect Series) with Gooned Again.

Fillion completed the trifecta with even-money choice Chillinonthebeach in race 9 for his second Prospect Series score of the afternoon.

Watching Fillion and his fellow drivers race around the track was a welcomed sight for Fleming, who like the fans, horsepeople, and horseplayers, waited patiently for the return of racing.

“We had 65 horses training here all winter,” Fleming said. “There’s a lot of small breeders and trainers here in town, so it’s important that we get up and racing.

“The 15 Sundays get the spotlight, but there’s a lot more going on behind the scenes – it isn’t just 15 days a year that people are training horses here, it’s 365.”

To advance from training to now racing has given Fleming hope that the new and improved Clinton Raceway will be fully functional for the track’s Grand Opening on July 6.

Although there’s still plenty on the to-do list, including installing the elevator, getting people back in the stands, and finishing the picnic pavilion, Fleming said the pieces are coming together.

In the near term, live racing at Clinton will take a brief one-week hiatus (June 8) with the Clinton Spring Fair rolling into town that weekend.

The action will pick back up on June 15 for the raceway’s well-received Father’s Day card.

“It’s always a big day for us,” Fleming said. “We get a lot of dads here on Father’s Day. The kids find it’s not a very complicated way of going out – some people stay for an hour; some stay for the whole afternoon. It’s a great atmosphere here on Father’s Day.”

Until then, Fleming and his team will have had time to reflect on an unconventional, yet undoubtedly successful opening day at the races.

There may have been a few hiccups, and a sneeze, along the way, but the wait was no doubt worth it.

“It was very exciting for everybody,” Fleming said. “We’ve been watching it inch along here every day and to see it finally get here meant a lot.

“Opening day’s always a little frantic, and even more so this year, but once you get a day in, we know we have to get a little bit more done every week and keep going from there.”