I’ve been horse racing in Hong Kong and Greyhound racing In Macau. I thought I knew how to read classes and handicaps until I watched harness racing in Ottawa where each horse pulls a two-wheeled cart that carries a jockey. The mode of racing might be different, but the horse names are just as stupid, sporting announcements that include “National Debt” and “Justa Bandit.”
The Rideau Carleton Raceway is attached to the Hard Rock Casino Ottawa. Most of the games are slots with few table options. If you’re only there as a social activity, I recommend eating at Mr. Lounge upstairs for budget options and the Italian restaurant for more upscale fare. The outdoor seating by the track is excellent for the good weather but food options are limited.
Horses in harness racing line up behind a Cadillac limousine for a rolling start instead of a stationary gate with traditional horse racing. After the gates swing forward from the limo, the stretch Cadillac continues to follow along, looking out of place. Another thing that looking out of place were the number of competitors; some races only had five horses on the post. I guess horse racing in Ottawa isn’t as big of a thing as it is in Hong Kong.
I like to tell my friends I’m pretty good at picking a winning horse – and I am. I netted a 41.5% profit from betting on 7 of 10 races, but I lost $24 on food.
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