Fort Erie Reports On-Track Wagering Up 23 Percent Opening Day
Fort Erie Reports On-Track Wagering Up 23 Percent Opening Day originally appeared on Paulick Report.
Opening Day at Fort Erie Race Track in Ontario was a galloping success on Tuesday evening thanks to a combination of perfect weather, a roaring crowd, and eight exciting races. The highlight of the evening was undoubtedly the Summer Solstice Cup, which featured a packed field of 11 Thoroughbreds hitting the historic dirt oval.
Riding atop Ruby's Ghost, jockey Melanie Pinto had her work cut out for her after drawing the 11th post in the gate, but a late burst with an eighth of a mile left sent her charging up from third place and into the lead at the finish line.
'I was a little concerned about being in the 11 post because I knew we would be pretty far out and I wasn't sure how to set up the speed to get to the inside, or if we were going to get stuck out,' said Pinto after the ride. 'But luckily we broke clean, had a really good trip, and it all worked out.'
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The connections of Pinto, owner Charles Fipke, and trainer Michaela Neubauer have been a longtime winning trio at Fort Erie. Having been together for so many years, Pinto said they feel like a family.
'Definitely,' agreed Neubauer. 'Melanie is like my little sister.'
The fulsome racing fields attracted plenty of bettors to the wagering windows at the track, with on-track wagering hitting $112,000 for the day, an increase of 23 per cent over last year.
Including remote wagering, Opening Day at Fort Erie Race Track reached a handle of $1.7 million. That's a decline from last year's $1.8 million (according to Equibase charts), which was achieved despite canceling the final race on the opening day card due to weather in 2024.
Live racing continues through June at Fort Erie, including the track's busiest day of the year, Father's Day, on June 15, where two more cup races will be on the card, alongside a Farmer's Market. It's the track's first Sunday card, which means horses will be hitting the dirt at a special 12:15 p.m. post time.
For a full list of the track's race dates and post times, visit www.forterieracing.com
This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on May 28, 2025, where it first appeared.
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