Marquis Downs was a horse racing venue in the

Exhibition An exhibition, in the most general sense, is an organized presentation and display of a selection of items. In practice, exhibitions usually occur within a cultural or educational setting such as a museum, art gallery, park, library, exhibiti ...

subdivision of

Saskatoon Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Hig ...

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada. It is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and to the south by the ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

. It featured

thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...

horse racing Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...

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 from 2005 to 2010. In 2020, Marquis Downs cancelled its season due to the

COVID-19 pandemic in Saskatchewan Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fev ...

. In February 2021, Marquis Downs cancelled its 2021 season, stating that current health orders, international travel restrictions, and financial impacts of holding races without spectators made it logistically impossible to conduct racing. On March 12, 2021, Saskatoon Prairieland Park Corporation announced that Marquis Downs would no longer host thoroughbred racing. Prairieland Park announced that it was in negotiations with Living Sky Sports and Entertainment (LSSE) to repurpose the site for a

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for a proposed

Canadian Premier League The Canadian Premier League (CPL or CanPL; ) is a professional Association football, soccer league in Canada and the highest level of the Canadian soccer league system. The league comprises eight teams, from five of provinces and territories of ...

expansion club. However, in September 2023, Prairieland Park CEO Dan Kemppainen stated that the project was on "pause", and that the increasing cost projection of the stadium had made it unfeasible.

Physical attributes

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

Racing

Marquis Downs offered live thoroughbred racing every Friday and Saturday from late May to the first Saturday of September. A few stakes races were held at Marquis Downs, most notably the Saskatchewan Derby, Prairie Lily Sales Stake and Heritage Day which showcases the Saskatchewan breeds. The minimum purse in 2007 was $3,000 and the Heritage races featured a $100,000 purse.

References

External links

Home Page

MARQUIS DOWNS PREPS FOR FALL MEET
{{Horse racing venues in Canada 1969 establishments in Saskatchewan 2021 disestablishments in Saskatchewan Sports venues completed in 1969 Defunct horse racing venues in Canada