Woodbine to install Tapeta for 2016 meet

Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG) on Wednesday announced Tapeta will be

installed on Woodbine's one-mile main track in time for the 2016 Thoroughbred

racing season.

The synthetic surface will replace Polytrack, which has been in place since

August of 2006.

Construction on the Tapeta track will begin on December 1. The four December

dates, scheduled for the first week of the month, will be moved to Thursdays in

November, pending Ontario Racing Commission (ORC) approval. Closing day for the

133-date meet is set for November 29.

"At Woodbine, it's in our mandate to act in the best interests of horse

racing and a regular, thorough examination of our track surfaces is paramount in

that pursuit," said Jim Lawson, Chairman of the Board, Woodbine Entertainment

Group. "We went through an exhaustive consultation exercise in our search for

the new main track. It's clear that Tapeta is the next generation of horse

racing surfaces that we'll be proud to unveil in April of 2016."

WEG began investigating options to replace its main track in mid-2014. A

dialogue with industry stakeholders was opened and opinions on the direction for

the surface, dirt or synthetic, were sought.

"A surface that will endure racing and training through hot and cold climate

extremes for more than eight months a year is critical for our horsepeople,"

Lawson said. "We also considered racing fans and horseplayers through this

process. Field size, the number of quality races and wagering on Woodbine's

thoroughbred racing product has grown appreciably in the synthetic track era. We

see those metrics continuing to improve with the installation of Tapeta."

Sue Leslie, President of the Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association

(HBPA) acknowledged the efforts of WEG to be thorough and sincere in its

consultative process.

"The HBPA has appreciated WEG's regular and transparent communication with

the HBPA's directors and its members as Woodbine reviewed options for a new

racing surface," Leslie said. "While acknowledging that HBPA members were very

split on their preferred surface, we are satisfied that WEG was thorough and

open-minded in its review. The change of surface announcement is a good day for

horsepeople and their horses."

The current Polytrack surface will remain in use throughout the 2015 season.

Two stakes races, the C$125,000 Kingarvie and the C$150,000 Valedictory

(Can-G3), originally scheduled for December 5 and December 6, respectively, will

be moved up a week to November 28 and November 29.​

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