Marquis Downs

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Horse Racetrack
Marquis Downs
Location Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Owner Saskatoon Prairieland Park Corp.
Opened 1969
Race type Thoroughbred & Harness
Website www.marquisdowns.com
Principal Races
Prairie Lily Stakes
Saskatchewan Derby
Saskatchewan Futurity

Marquis Downs is a horse race track in the Exhibition subdivision of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. It features both Thoroughbred and Standardbred horse racing.

Marquis Down Race Track in Prairieland Park
Marquis Down Race Track in Prairieland Park

Contents

[edit] History

Marquis Downs opened in 1969 with Thoroughbred racing. It is part of the Saskatoon Prairieland Park Corporation. Harness racing was discontinued after the 1987 season, but returned in 2005.

[edit] Physical Attributes

The main track is a five-furlong oval with a seven furlong chute. The grandstand capacity is 3,500. The track is located in the southwest corner of the Prairieland Exhibition Grounds, with access via St. Henry Avenue to the west.

[edit] Racing

Marquis Downs offers live thoroughbred racing every Friday and Saturday from late May to the first Saturday of September. Standardbred racing is conducted for the following four weeks, also every Friday and Saturday.

A few stakes races are held at Marquis Downs, most notably the Saskatchewan Derby, Prairie Lily Sales Stake and Heritage Day which showcases the Saskatchewan breds. The minimum purse in 2007 was $3,000 and the Heritage races featured a $100,000 purse.[1]

Marquis Downs at Prairieland Park
Marquis Downs at Prairieland Park

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ McConachie,, Doug (Friday, May 25, 2007). Horse racing beats the odds at Marquis Downs. The StarPhoenix. Retrieved on 2008-05-13.