Former site of Windsor Raceway (1965-2012) (Windsor, Ontario) | horse racing track

USA / Michigan / River Rouge / Windsor, Ontario
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Windsor Raceway officially opened on October 22, 1965 for its first season of harness racing. This date was just one week later than the projected opening date of October 15th. Castle Direct driven by Fred Roloson was the first horse to win a parimutuel race at Windsor Raceway in a time of 2:10. The attendance for our opening day was 5,136 for a 9 race card. The handle was $194,204.

The all-weather Tartan surface, new to the industry and allowing for winter racing, performed according to the best of expectations. It enabled racing in inclement weather (read snow, ice and cold) and earned the approval of horsemen. The Tartan surface remained until the late seventies when it was converted to a spiral graded limestone surface, which continues today.

For the first twenty-nine years, live harness racing at Windsor was contested during the six month season of October through April. Proudly during our 30th Anniversary year in 1995, we continued past April and will have our first of year round live racing. With the 1990's came simulcasting -- the ability to bet on races being held at other racetracks.

Windsor Raceway was quick to pick up on this new technology. Live racing brought patrons to the track for only an evening of wagering entertainment up to five nights a week. Simulcasting has expanded exponentially to the point where Windsor Raceway is now open 364 days a year, from noon to midnight with continuous betting action available on up to ten different tracks each day. Windsor is looked upon as the leader of simulcasting in Canada.

*UPDATE 9/29/06*
The end of the line for Windsor Raceway. In an announcment made on September 29th 2006 it was confirmed that the Raceway and Slots will be moving to a new location at 401 and Manning Rd in Tecumseh. Project IceTrack.
This new facility will include a 6500 seat arena and much more.

The Windsor Raceway finally closed its doors on August 31, 2012 and was torn down in 2015-2016.
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   42°15'28"N   83°4'47"W

Comments

  • The end of the line for Windsor Raceway. In an announcment made on September 29th 2006 it was confirmed that the Raceway and Slots will be moving to a new location at 401 and Manning Rd in Tecumseh. Project IceTrack. This new facility will include a 6500 seat arena and much more.
  • If it really leaves it should be re-purposed for automotive racing.
  • There is no new facility at the 401 and Manning. The City just approved for redevelopment of the area into big box stores.
  • The area of the former Windsor Raceway will be Big Box stores.
This article was last modified 5 years ago