Photo: Canmenwalker, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Toronto, Ontario · Independent Guide
Woodbine Racetrack, Told Through Its History and Grounds
Krenzov is an independent guide to Woodbine Racetrack — the architecture and racing history, the on-site hotel, the dining rooms overlooking the track, and practical notes for a first visit.
Independently published
Not operated by or affiliated with Woodbine Entertainment Group.
Updated periodically
General information is reviewed; always confirm specifics with the venue.
Editorial focus
Racing as a spectator event, architecture, hotel and dining only.
Explore the guide
Four ways to get to know Woodbine
History & Architecture
From the 1874 original track to the 1956 opening, the Queen's Plate, and seven decades on the same grounds.
Read more →
On-Site Hotel
A general look at room types, sizes, and amenities at the hotel located within the Woodbine grounds.
Read more →
Dining & Restaurants
Track-view dining rooms, a casual terrace, a hospitality lounge, and a food court, floor by floor.
Read more →
Visitor Guide
Getting there by car or transit, parking, accessibility, and what to expect on race day.
Read more →In the spotlight
Home of the Queen's Plate
Run every year since 1860, the Queen's Plate is Canada's oldest continuously held thoroughbred stakes race and the marquee event on the Woodbine racing calendar. Restricted to Canadian-bred three-year-olds, it forms the first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown and has drawn royal attendance twice — Queen Elizabeth II was on hand for the 100th running in 1959 and returned for the 151st in 2010. It has been hosted at the current Woodbine grounds since the track opened in 1956, drawing the season's largest crowd to the grandstand for a single afternoon of racing each summer.
The Plate is only part of the picture. Each autumn, the E.P. Taylor Turf Course hosts Woodbine's four Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" qualifying races on Turf Champions Day, followed weeks later by the Grade 1 Canadian International — a reminder that Woodbine's racing calendar runs from spring through mid-December, not just one marquee weekend.
Learn about race day history →
Photo: Mike F. Campbell, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Before you go
Planning a visit
Woodbine Racetrack sits at 555 Rexdale Blvd in Etobicoke, on the western edge of Toronto, and is reachable by car, TTC bus from Islington subway station, or GO Transit rail to Malton GO Station. Opening hours, gate times, and the racing calendar change through the season, so we always point visitors to the official Woodbine website for the current schedule before heading out. Our visitor guide covers parking, transit, accessibility, and what a typical race day looks like.
Thinking about staying over or making a night of it? Our hotel guide covers the room types and amenities at the on-site hotel, and our dining guide breaks down the grandstand's dining floors from the formal Woodbine Club down to the ground-level food court.
Official website (external, for schedules and hours): woodbine.com
About this guide
Krenzov is written and reviewed by Ryan Whitfield, based in Toronto. This site is an independent editorial project covering Woodbine Racetrack as a spectator and architectural destination — it is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated on behalf of Woodbine Entertainment Group.
Contact us →At a glance
Woodbine by the numbers
1956
Grandstand opened, replacing the original 1874 Woodbine on Queen Street East.
1860
First running of the Queen's Plate, Canada's oldest continuously held stakes race.
3
Racing surfaces on the property: a dirt oval, the E.P. Taylor Turf Course, and an inner turf course.
1,440 ft
Length of the home stretch — about 30% longer than Belmont Park's.