Woodbine Gets Reprieve, Retains Breeders’ Cup
Woodbine, the suburban Toronto track with the labor problems, apparently will be able to make the most of a Breeders’ Cup reprieve and play host to the seven-race, $11-million day on Oct. 26 after all.
With Mike Harris, the Canadian premier, acting as the catalyst, the locked-out parimutuel clerks at Woodbine have signed a memorandum of agreement that will enable them to return to work.
Short of that agreement, the Breeders’ Cup had announced Thursday that it was pulling out of Canada.
Harris, reportedly embarrassed that his country would lose such a prestigious event--and concerned that the estimated $40-million boost to the Toronto-area economy would vanish--said that he would be contacting Breeders’ Cup officials “to provide the necessary assurances that the event will be conducted without disruption.”
A statement from Woodbine said that the clerks’ union heads are expected to recommend accepting the contract today.
Woodbine will be the first out-of-the-United States site for the Breeders’ Cup, which has been run annually since 1984.
Get our high school sports newsletter
Prep Rally is devoted to the SoCal high school sports experience, bringing you scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
