Etobicoke, Otario - Back in 2018, Woodbine Racetrack in the Etobicoke district of Toronto, ON Canada, moved harness racing to Woodbine Mohawk Park in Campbellville, ON. The inner oval harness racing track at Woodbine was then converted into a seven-furlong, Kentucky Bluegrass track for thoroughbred horse racing in 2019. Over the years, Woodbine’s improvements and enhancements have continued to rank them as one of the top, premier horse racing facilities in North America.

To start the racing season earlier on the inner oval, Woodbine decided on EVERGREEN® RADIANT TURF COVERS from COVERMASTER®. These turf covers not only protect the race track turf from the harsh conditions of winter, they encourage earlier green-ups in the spring. The winter turf blanket’s specialized silver coating and new fabric technology create up to a 25% increase in heat retention. This greenhouse effect produces earlier turf growth resulting in quicker spring openings by up to three weeks.

Woodbine ordered 86 custom sections of EVERGREEN® RADIANT TURF COVERS measuring 30 feet wide by 110 feet long per section. Through strategic placement of each winter turf cover, the groundskeepers could properly protect the curved sections of the turf track as well as the backstretch and the homestretch. This COVERMASTER® solution will now allow Woodbine to have a longer season on the oval inner turf track while providing thicker, healthier turf from start to finish.

Posted February 13, 2024