ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Wagering at the recently concluded 2023 Woodbine meet yielded an all-sources handle of $613,125,180, the second-highest single-season handle in the track’s history, but down $8 million from 2022. “Our 2023 Thoroughbred racing meet produced very strong results thanks to our exciting racing product, the strength of the Woodbine brand, and the hard work of our team and the entire horse racing community,” Woodbine Entertainment CEO Michael Copeland said. “The results are especially encouraging, considering the industry trends our sport is facing with increased competition from sports betting, growing purses in some jurisdictions largely due to ancillary gaming revenues, extreme weather factors that have canceled an unprecedented number of race cards, North American horse supply, and larger macroeconomic factors like inflation and the uncertainty of the U.S. dollar.” In 2023, a total of 1,180 races were run over 128 dates compared to 1,198 races over 132 dates in 2022. Woodbine ran four less dates and 18 less races in 2023 due to an unprecedented number of canceled race cards (five) because of extreme heat and poor air quality caused by smoke from forest fires across Canada. The average field size for those races was 8.2, the same as 2022. In Ontario, wagering on Woodbine Thoroughbred racing by customers across the province was down 6.2 percent ($81.8 million this season versus $87.2 million in 2022). The decline in home market wagering was partially mitigated by a foreign market handle of $512 million, a decrease from $515 million in 2022, though still a remarkable gain from $420 million in 2021. The $512 million in foreign market handle was supported by a strong U.S. dollar. The average handle per race in 2023 was a record $519,597. This is an increase of $580 per race from 2022. :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets. To address the increased competition from an emerging licensed sports betting market, Woodbine Entertainment announced a partnership with global sports betting leader bet365 prior to the King’s Plate. It includes the integration of parimutuel horse racing into bet365’s licensed sportsbook platform in Ontario. Woodbine plans to integrate its racing product in additional licensed Ontario sports books in 2024 in the hope of generating increased handle in the province and engagement with a new audience. “We are operating on a very solid foundation that positions us well to manage the current industry and economic trends,” Copeland said. “We also have opportunities before us that have not been fully realized yet, like the integration of racing into licensed sportsbooks, which will have a positive impact.” Kazushi Kimura earned his third consecutive Woodbine riding title in 2023 with 161 wins. Born in Hokkaido, Japan, the 24-year-old joined the local jockey colony in 2018. The 2019 Eclipse Award winner as North America’s outstanding apprentice, Kimura also won the Sovereign Award equivalent in both 2018 and 2019. He also was the 2021 and 2022 Sovereign recipient as Canada’s outstanding rider and is odds-on to cop the award again for 2023. “I am very grateful to all the trainers and owners who gave me an opportunity to ride so many great horses this year,” Kimura said. “I’d like to thank the grooms, exercise riders, hotwalkers, gate crew, outriders, and everyone who makes our sport so great. And I would like to thank all the horses, the stars of our sport and the best athletes you will find.” Sahin Civaci was second with 129 wins, followed by Rafael Hernandez, who posted 119 wins. Patrick Husbands led all riders with 16 stakes win, one more than Kimura and Civaci. Mark Casse topped the trainer leaderboard for the 15th time with 113 wins. He recorded 24 Woodbine stakes victories, 10 of them graded, and captured the $1 million King’s Plate with Paramount Prince. Marty Drexler ranked second among all trainers with a career-best 86 Woodbine wins. Kevin Attard finished third with 71 wins. Bruno Schickedanz, last year’s Sovereign winner as Canada’s top owner, led the way with 58 wins. It is the 10th straight year he has led Woodbine in victories.   Patches O’Houlihan led all horses at the meet with six wins, followed by Light the Lamp, who recorded five victories.    Next year’s 129-day Woodbine meet is scheduled to go from April 27 to Dec. 15. The 165th running of The King’s Plate goes Saturday, Aug. 17. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.