Trey’s Two Cents Worth: Be Like Truro

I have only been in the harness racing industry for a few years. It started in the summer of 2020 when I managed to bamboozle the fine people of the Manitoba Standardbred Racing Industry into giving me the microphone and announcer duties. The following summer, I continued the con by applying for Standardbred Canada’s summer intern position, and I set in motion my career as a writer in the sport.

After a short three years of following the sports closely, I have already noticed that it is a slow, grueling process to get any change to happen. So, it has been a pleasant surprise to see all the positive things coming out of Bible Hill, Nova Scotia, at Truro Raceway. I have never been so pleasantly surprised in a track since in my brief time being a standardbred writer.

My suggestion for other tracks is to be more like Truro Raceway! Please stop being scared of changing how things are conducted. Some of the most controversial changes in sports have become the most positive. For example, I am always amazed when reminded that the 3-point shot didn’t always exist in basketball. The same can also be said about the forward pass in football. These radical changes have forever changed the sport. We are witnessing the same thing in baseball with the addition of the pitch clock.

However, none of the changes from Truro Raceway are revolutionary, but all significant change has to start somewhere.

After they announced the new hire at General Manager Steve Fitzsimmons, it was quick to see that positive change was coming. Within what felt like only moments into Fitzsimmons time as the big boss at Truro Raceway, more race days were added to the schedule. Of course, no one would complain about having MORE race days.

Having a track be able to add more race days in the current climate is nothing short of a miracle. Tracks have been cancelling days left, right and center because of rain, snow, wind or fires. I am not criticizing any traces for cancelling because of unsafe conditions. Still, cancellations have plagued tracks across North America for various reasons. So, I give Mr. Fitzsimmons a solid A+ for adding more days from the get-go and giving Truro Raceway a safety net if they, too, have a plethora of cancellations.

Next, I applaud Truro Raceway for enhancing the Pick 5 by lowering the takeout and having a $0.20 minimum bet. The one thing that enrages me the most is multi-race bets that have a $1.00 minimum. It makes it harder for casual fans to get in on the action because they would be expected to put up $20.00 to $40.00 to have any options. Providing a $0.20 minimum lowers the overall total from $5.00 to $12.00, which appeals more to those whose livelihoods don’t rely on gambling.

Also, the takeout being lowered to 12% gives more of that money back to the consumers, which in turn should get them to return to Truro Raceway in the future. If a casual fan only wins a measly $5.00 after picking five straight winners correctly would turn them away in a heartbeat if they invested more than that into it. Sure, that’s how she goes sometimes, but if there is any chance of keeping new fans in the sport, it would be to increase their return on investment.

Truro Raceway also introduced the new Diamond Classic buy-in race for two-year-olds. What is unique about this setup is that the slot’s owner can declare the horse’s name just before the draw. This gives owners flexibility in deciding which youngster they want to enter. This also provides the slot with owners a chance to sell their spot to someone who might have the top two-year-old in the Maritimes.

This new spin on the buy-in race format gives owners much-needed freedom and adds to the suspense of seeing the horses that will take the stage for the Diamond Classic.

What also blew me away was the decision to bring in the veteran Melissa Keith with the young gun Grady Hachey as the new broadcast team. WHAT!?! That is some serious talent on the race day coverage team. Keith has been one of the leading voices in the harness racing industry for some time. She was one of the first media members to reach out to me personally in my young career, and she has been one person that I try my hardest to mimic in my work ethic.

The other addition, Hachey, has always impressed the hell out of me every time I have talked to him. You wouldn’t know the young man is only 17 years old with his extent of knowledge in harness racing. But his passion for the sport is up there with the rest of the all-time great media members. Once he turns legal drinking age, he is one guy I would love to have a beer with.

Keith and Hachey will bring such a different and dynamic look into the sport that I don’t feel we get anywhere else. Oh, and also, Truro Raceway will add the legendary Shannon “Sugar” Doyle and Caity Hillier to the broadcast team for Grand Circuit Week in July. That is going to be MUST WATCH TELEVISION.

Live racing starts on May 7th, so there is still plenty of time for more exciting news to be dropped. But, even though there is radio silence for the next month, Truro Raceway has made enough serious waves to get this prairie boy excited about Maritime racing.

I don’t want to be too harsh on every track because some have been improving steadily. For example, I’ve been impressed with how Century Downs and Century Mile have been conducting business as of late. There are many positives at many tracks around North America, but only a few other tracks have consistently released great news like Truro Raceway has.

I have to tip my cap to Mr. Fitzsimmons and all the hard-working people at Truro Raceway. You have done something no other track has managed to do, which makes me ecstatic about your direction.

by Trey Colbeck, for Harnesslink