Horse racing wagers work no differently from any casino game. The odds and the outcome carry the same risk. Set a budget before you bet, treat losses as final, and take breaks between races. If betting on races stops feeling like entertainment, the same support resources available for casino gambling apply here too.
Great Canadian Woodbine Casino traces its racing roots back to 1881, when the Ontario Jockey Club first ran the Queen's Plate near Lake Ontario. The current track opened in 1956 at its present location on Rexdale Boulevard, and it's hosted international fixtures including the Breeders' Cup and the Arlington Million over the decades since.
Toronto once had several smaller tracks running separate race cards before the Jockey Club consolidated them into a single operation in the late 1940s. That consolidation eventually left Woodbine as the city's sole major track once its sister venue, Greenwood, closed in the mid-1990s and shifted its racing calendar here.
Woodbine Great Canadian Casino racing splits into two distinct disciplines, each with its own season and crowd.
Thoroughbred Season
Thoroughbred racing runs roughly spring through fall, headlined by the Queen's Plate - Canada's oldest continuously run stakes race - along with the Woodbine Mile and the Canadian International. Post times typically fall in the afternoon on live racing days, with the biggest cards drawing crowds well beyond the regular racing base.
Harness Racing
Standardbred racing runs on a separate evening schedule, often overlapping with the thoroughbred calendar during shoulder-season months. These cards tend to draw a smaller, more dedicated crowd, and wagering windows work identically to the thoroughbred side.
Great Canadian Casino Resort Woodbine wagering runs through the same tote system used across North American tracks.
Common Bet Types
Placing a Bet: Minimum wagers start around $2 CAD for most bet types, with self-serve kiosks scattered through the grandstand alongside staffed teller windows for anyone who prefers a person to place the bet. Programs listing the day's entries, jockeys, and odds are available at the gate or online before you arrive.
Great Canadian Casino Woodbine hosts a handful of fixtures that draw crowds well past the regular racing base:
Race | Discipline | Distance | Purse (CAD) | Notable For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
King's Plate (formerly Queen's Plate) | Thoroughbred | 1 1/4 miles | $1,000,000 | North America's oldest continuously run race, dating to 1860, first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown |
Woodbine Mile | Thoroughbred | 1 mile, turf | $1,000,000 | Grade 1 fixture, part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge series |
Canadian International | Thoroughbred | 1 1/2 miles, turf | $750,000 | Grade 1 turf classic run each fall, one of the track's oldest stakes races |
| Discipline | Thoroughbred |
|---|---|
| Distance | 1 1/4 miles |
| Purse (CAD) | $1,000,000 |
| Notable For | North America's oldest continuously run race, dating to 1860, first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown |
| Discipline | Thoroughbred |
|---|---|
| Distance | 1 mile, turf |
| Purse (CAD) | $1,000,000 |
| Notable For | Grade 1 fixture, part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge series |
| Discipline | Thoroughbred |
|---|---|
| Distance | 1 1/2 miles, turf |
| Purse (CAD) | $750,000 |
| Notable For | Grade 1 turf classic run each fall, one of the track's oldest stakes races |
Attending a Feature Race Day: Woodbine Great Canadian Casino racing days draw a much larger crowd than a regular Tuesday card, so arriving early secures a rail-side spot and shorter betting lines. Dress codes loosen compared to some tracks, but reserved seating areas in the grandstand often expect smarter casual attire, particularly for the Queen's Plate.
Skip the СAD$2 win bet on the favorite in the King's Plate or Woodbine Mile. The payout rarely covers the stake, and a СAD$2 exacta box using the program's jockey and trainer stats pays better for the same money. Grab a program at the gate before heading to a teller window; reading the entries there matters more than anything the tote board shows.
