Dresden Raceway to commemorate its Black History this Sunday
Dresden Raceway is set to celebrate its Black Heritage Sunday with a special card of racing.
Track officials say Dresden Raceway is a unique racetrack that is located on the original 100-acre property known as the Dawn Settlement that was purchased by Josiah Henson in 1841.
“This is something that is very unique to Dresden Raceway when comparing us to other tracks in Canada,” says track announcer Gary Patterson.
Henson was inspiration for Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin, which had a strong effect on attitudes toward African Americans and slavery in the United States.
He also owned and bred racehorses throughout his life on the raceway property.
“We have generations of Black families who are such a big part of our history,” Patterson says.
He says several local Black families will be honoured Sunday for their contributions made to harness racing in Dresden and to the industry in Ontario.
Patterson says the raceway’s history includes the List, McCorkle, Grineage, Simmons, Davis, Prince and Tanner families, along with Duwayne Guest who will also be honoured.
“This is something that is going to be a lot of fun! I can’t wait to hear some of the stories, we already have several reservations,” says Patterson.
He tells CTV News that in Henson’s will, Henson left half of the proceeds from his prized Hamletonian Stallion to his son Peter.
Patterson says Hambletonian is highly regarded as the father of horse racing in North America, adding this draws to the conclusion that racehorses have been in the area of Dresden Raceway for over 160 years.
Post time will be 1 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 1. More than one thousand spectators are able to attend in person, under the current COVID-19 guidelines.
All fans who wish to attend the day are asked to register through the Dresden Raceway Facebook Page or email dresdenracewayreservations@gmail.com.
The season concludes the next day on the Civic Holiday on Monday, Aug. 2.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.
Storm-battered U.S. South is again under threat. A boy swept into a drain fights for his life
Dangerous storms crashed over parts of the U.S. South on Thursday even as the region cleaned up from earlier severe weather that spawned tornadoes, killed at least three people, and gravely injured a boy who was swept into a storm drain as he played in a flooded street.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.