Its spring time, and soon it will be summer. Hot summer nights are fun at the racetrack. Race track dates make memories and if you’re kindling a budding romance then this evening becomes a night that neither of you will forget, especially if someone wins big.

According to HPIbet news on Horse Canada magazine, the most money ever paid out on one bet was on December 11, 2015, when a guy won $242,409 for guessing five winning horses in a row in something called a Jackpot Hi5. Prizes like that are life-changing, but I believe the man’s initial wager was a thousand dollars, and the odds were very long.

Woodbine Racetrack is located at Hwy 27 and Rexdale Blvd

Ironically, in 2018, to see horses, you need an automobile. Woodbine Racetrack at Hwy 27 and Rexdale Blvd is just north of the airport on the east side of Hwy427. The public transit from downtown Toronto to this location is a nightmare. Rent a car if you do not have one.

TIP #1, Woodbine is best experienced as a Wednesday night date. On Wednesday night this facility hosts Live Thoroughbred Racing (where the jockey actually rides the horse). You don’t have to be there when it starts at 7pm, and you don’t have wait till it ends at 11:30pm to leave. Wednesday is the best night because the facility is not crowded, and space and seating is available at every vista. Whether in a large group or as a couple, this is an equestrian themed evening of exploration and gambling with very climactic moments every twenty minutes.

TIP #2 Champions Patio Lounge has the best tables in the most exciting atmosphere in the entire complex. Immediately upon arrival you must go there is to secure good seating on their exterior patio which is located on the 4th floor of the grandstand, up three escalators from the main entrance. This scenic establishment does not take phone-in reservations – its first come, first seated. The terraced enclosure offers an unparalleled view of the track with its many scoreboards, and you can escape the babbling televisions by going to the very front of the patio – this is recommended.

There is no better place to sit and watch the horse-races unfold below than outside on the Champions patio on a hot summer night. The airplanes fly low overhead, landing at nearby Toronto International Airport. On hot days the red sun sets on a shimmering sand track along the shore of the artificial lake, below.

TIP #3 Order the nibble trays and not the big meal. The big meal is an anchor that will keep you at the table and prevent you from exploring the different areas of the complex. Its better to have cheese and grapes filled charcuterie board than the twenty-seven-dollar roast beef dinner.

TIP #4 Bring the post parade to life by reading the horses’ personal data aloud as they are cantering past below. The racing program is mysterious at first, but easy to transcribe from the legend included under the masthead at the beginning of the book. Once you understand how to read the book, each race becomes an exciting story of five or six horses. If you want to know more about the riders, read Woodbine horse racing on Thoroughblog on Horse-Canada which is an insider account of thoroughbred racing at this Toronto racetrack. Horse racing professionals also read Canadian Thoroughbred magazine for insights regarding handicapped horses and other racing news.

TIP #5 Take the time to visit the Paddock and if you have an eye for the scene and you see jockeys talking to people along the rails then get closer and pay attention. There is drama and celebrities and lots of Instagram moments to be had here in The Paddock. The jockeys are approachable, in fact they love the attention. They will pose for selfies.

In addition to the sight and smell of horses, and the excitement of gambling at the racetrack, and seeing the colourful jerseys on the jockeys in the paddock, there are bugles and beautiful people trekking to and from the winner’s circle.

Woodbine makes it possible to win love and money at the track.