It was a record opening day for harness racing at Leamington Raceway on Sunday.
Betting for Sunday's races totalled nearly $40,000.
Essex County Warden Tom Bain tells CTV Windsor it was a great start to the season.
Bain, who is part of the Lakeshore Horse Racing Association, says they averaged about $28,000 in betting over 13 race dates last year.
Organizers are hoping between 700 and 1,200 race fans will attend each Sunday to keep the business sustainable.
Ontario Racing is providing $455,000 in purse money for all 13 races this year.
Post time each Sunday is 1:30 p.m. at Leamington Raceway on the town's fairgrounds.
