Carleton Race Course Commemorative Plaque, 2018
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Resource ID
5266
Access
Open
Address
204 High Park Avenue, Toronto, ON M6P 2S6
Credit Line
Heritage Toronto
Date of Creation
2018
Historical Themes
Program Category
Rights
Heritage Toronto
Caption
Carleton Race Course Commemorative Plaque, 2018
Description
For several decades in the 19th century, this area was the site of one of Toronto’s most popular horse racing venues, the Carleton Race Course. Before colonization, the land, just east of the Humber River arm of the Toronto Carrying Place, was the territory of the Wendat, Haudenosaunee, and Mississaugas of the Credit River First Nations.
The racecourse was built by William Conroy Keele on his farm in 1857. It became the home of the Toronto Turf Club and in 1859 the club sought royal patronage for an annual horse racing prize. Queen Victoria awarded a prize of 50 guineas. The first Queen’s Plate was held here in June 1860. The race was advertised as: “Open to all horses bred in Upper Canada, which have never won public money.” Eight horses entered the race and five-year-old Don Juan won in front of an audience of about 3, 000.
The Carleton Race Course was the home of the Queen’s Plate for the next three years. From 1864 to 1882, the event was held at changing venues throughout Southern Ontario until the race was taken over by the Ontario Jockey Club and permanently held at Woodbine Park racetrack.
Following the death of William Conroy Keele, his estate was gradually divided. Much of it, including the racecourse, was sold in 1882 to developer Daniel Webster Clendenan, who turned the land into what became the Village of West Toronto Junction.
Marker lat / long: 43.660599, -79.468111 (WGS84)