Canada's largest Thoroughbred racing venue — Woodbine runs live racing from May through November with a grandstand, paddock, infield, and one of the most storied racing circuits in the country (E.P. Taylor Stakes, Queen's Plate). A $2 minimum bet makes it accessible. The Woodbine Racetrack experience is classic Toronto summer.
Neighbourhood: Etobicoke / Rexdale · Address: 555 Rexdale Blvd, Etobicoke, ON · Hours: Mon 12:00 – 11:00 PM | Tue–Wed 12:00 – 8:00 PM | Thu–Sat 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM | Sun 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM · Phone: (416) 675-7223
Why Visit
Watch live horse racing just steps from the city and place a $2 bet on real races, all from the stands or while wandering the paddock. It's one of the few spots in Toronto where you can feel the energy of a true racetrack.
What Makes It Unique
Unlike smaller city OTBs or casinos, Woodbine is the beating heart of Canadian thoroughbred racing, with races you can literally walk up to the railing and watch. The circuit draws top horses, trainers, and occasionally international stars—plus, you can access everything from casual food to patio seating to the classic grandstand. Nowhere else in Toronto has races like the E.P. Taylor Stakes or the Queen’s Plate.
Woodbine Racetrack in Etobicoke is Canada's premier thoroughbred horse racing facility — a track that has been operating racing since 1956 and hosts the Queen's Plate, Canada's oldest and most prestigious thoroughbred race, along with the Woodbine Mile and a full summer and fall racing calendar that attracts horses from across North America and internationally. Attending racing at Woodbine is one of Toronto's most distinctive live sports experiences: the combination of the horses' physical power, the sport's historic culture, and the particular social experience of spending an afternoon at the races produces an outing unlike anything else in the city.
The Queen's Plate, typically held in June, is the centrepiece of Woodbine's calendar — a race for three-year-old Canadian-bred thoroughbreds that has been run continuously since 1860, predating Confederation and making it the oldest continuously run stakes race in North America. The Plate Day card draws the largest Woodbine crowd of the year, with the grandstands and infield filled with spectators ranging from serious horseplayers through casual visitors who come primarily for the social occasion. The fashion dimension of Plate Day — particularly in the grandstand areas — is an inherited tradition from the race's elite social history.
Beyond the major stakes days, regular Woodbine racing provides a more accessible and less formal environment for understanding how thoroughbred racing works. The racing programme typically presents 10–12 races over an afternoon or evening, with the racing form (available on site) providing the information needed to make sense of each race's entries, their past performances, and the betting possibilities. The live odds on the totalisator boards, the paddock where horses parade before each race, and the sound and physical scale of thoroughbreds running at full speed are experiences that horse racing's television and digital formats don't transmit adequately.
The fall Woodbine season extends into November, when the turf course transitions to dirt and the racing continues into the cooler weather that suits certain horse types particularly well.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Queen's Plate at Woodbine?
The Queen's Plate is Canada's most prestigious thoroughbred race, run for three-year-old Canadian-bred horses and held at Woodbine typically in June. It's the oldest continuously run stakes race in North America, having been held since 1860. Queen's Plate Day is Woodbine's biggest annual event with a full stakes card.
Do I need to know horse racing to enjoy Woodbine?
No — the racing form and the on-track information boards explain each race's entries and past performances. Staff and experienced racegoers are generally happy to help newcomers understand the basics of reading a form and making a bet. The physical experience of watching thoroughbreds race is compelling regardless of betting knowledge.
How do I get to Woodbine Racetrack?
Woodbine is at 555 Rexdale Boulevard in Etobicoke, accessible by the TTC via Kipling station on Line 2 and a connecting bus, or by driving via Highway 427 or Rexdale Boulevard. Free parking is available on site. The Woodbine Racetrack GO Train connection is available on some major race days.
When does Woodbine racing season run?
Woodbine's thoroughbred season runs from late April through November, with the main summer season covering May through September. Winter racing occurs on the Standardbred (harness racing) track. Check woodbine.com for current schedules and stakes race dates.