A Calgary-based company has taken ownership of two of Alberta’s leading horse racing venues, in a deal industry figures say signals confidence in the sport’s future in the province.
Highfield Investment Group has acquired the racing and gaming operations at Century Downs in Calgary and Century Mile in Edmonton for approximately $23.2 million. Highfield president Adrian Munro said his family has deep ties to the horse racing world spanning generations, including his father and grandfather, who both owned horses.
A Province Positioned to Lead
Alberta is home to roughly one-third of Canada’s horses, giving it the largest horse population of any province. Munro said he believes this positions Alberta to take on a larger leadership role in horse racing as other regions face challenges, pointing to the loss of racing operations in British Columbia last year.
Horse Racing Alberta CEO Kent Verlik welcomed the acquisition, saying the exit of tracks in B.C. had created uncertainty for the sport in the region, and that having a committed long-term partner in Alberta was a positive development.
Economic Ripple Effects Beyond the Track
Industry workers say the impact of the deal extends well past racetrack operations. Cindy Baraby, an outrider at Century Downs, said horse racing supports hundreds of jobs in Alberta, touching sectors such as agriculture, including hay and grain suppliers, as well as breeding operations.
Josh Murphy, assistant racing manager at Century Downs, said the industry also sustains veterinarians, farriers, feed stores, and tack stores, along with suppliers of track materials such as shavings and manure removal services.
Baraby added that the new ownership’s background as horsemen was reassuring to those working in the industry, saying it reflected an understanding of what matters to horse owners and trainers.
For many in Alberta’s horse racing community, the acquisition is being viewed as a sign that the province could take on a growing role in Canadian horse racing going forward.
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