It was a fun and entertaining evening of racing at Mohawk on Saturday. Ask any fan.
The Canadian Pacing Derby/Metro Pace card showcased many of the sport’s stars and featured a 66-1 longshot winner in the Canadian Pacing Derby, while the Jackpot Hi 5 was paid out on the final race.
Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG) also considers the 2014 event a stunning success, in record style.
A total of $5,006,896 was wagered on the 12-race card, the highest handle figure ever recorded for one program at the 51-year-old Campbellville track. The previous mark was $4,648,478 for the 2000 Breeders Crown card.
It was third highest handle ever recorded on the WEG Standardbred circuit, behind only 2002 Breeders Crown card ($5.4 million) and 2001 Breeders Crown program ($5.2 million), both conducted at Woodbine Racetrack.
“We offered a terrific on-track event and a fantastic card, and we are extremely pleased with the record results,” said Jamie Martin, WEG’s executive vice president of racing. “Customers enjoyed great music, excellent food and were entertained by the finest horses in the sport, including arguably the best two-year-olds around, Artspeak and JK Shesalady. Modern Legend added a dash of drama with his 66-1 upset in the Canadian Pacing Derby.”
The Jackpot Hi 5 continues to prove to be a hit with racing fans. The wager, which offered a carryover of $647,331.71 and a mandatory payout, had a total pool of $2,522,851 after $1,875,520 was bet on Saturday evening. Each winning 20-cent ticket paid $1,347.36 after Resistance Futile romped. The Jackpot Hi-5 requires horseplayers to select the first five finishers in exact order.
“The Jackpot Hi 5 certainly helped the card achieve record status, but without it, we were still up 30 per cent over last year’s program,” said Martin.
The next major card at Mohawk features the $682,000 Canadian Trotting Classic. It is slated for September 13.
(WEG)
it was a trememendous night
it was a trememendous night of entertainment.
outside of a shockingly short super with sweet lou fading out of top 4..(i know i had 20 center with two other guys!!)...it was terrific night..
and the big finish had such a tremendous buzz.
**its a shame there is NO BUZZ night after night with the hi5 build......nobody I know up in the champions Warden/Steeles cares-----everyone assumes up there that syndicates are in so heavy, not wanting the other to scoop them, that they just hammer the poor thing night after night, not allowing anyone to single win..
THERE MUST BE A BETTER WAY...
maybe a 'monthly mandatory' is a better idea.
jctoronto
If the insane show pools are
If the insane show pools are ignored, the 12th race(a field made up of nondescript racehorses with all different owners for a measly purse)had a bigger handle than the rest of the stakes-laden world-class 11 races put together. The fact is the high five with a mandatory payout is worth betting.
Has this industry learned nothing? Give us large, well-matched fields (even 12 or 14 horses) with a much lower takeout that makes people believe they have a chance when they wager(9-10%), and you will attract much larger bettors and many deserters will return. Guaranteed the handles will easily surpass and blow away the Meadowlands handles.
It's not rocket science.
They should have a manditory
They should have a manditory payout every two weeks. You wouldnt get record payouts but you would have way more very large payouts.
Georg Leber-ICR Racing