Woodbine Racetrack announced it will dedicate Thursday evening’s race card to the 43 horses killed in a stable fire in southern Ontario.
Organizers say the tribute will begin at 6:50 p.m. ET. with a video presentation followed by a minute of silence.
Flags at Woodbine Racetrack will also be flown at half-mast until Saturday.
“As a horseperson, I can imagine how difficult a time it is for those that lost horses, who are like members of the family. It is heartbreaking,” said Jim Lawson, CEO of Woodbine Entertainment Group in a media release. “Our deepest sympathies are with everyone impacted by this tragedy.”
VIDEO: Dozens of horses dead in barn fire near Guelph
The racehorses were killed after a fire broke out shortly after 11 p.m. on Monday at the Classy Lane Stables training centre in Puslinch, Ont. located just south of Guelph and west of Toronto.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the Ontario Fire Marshal’s office.
Firefighters from nearby communities were brought in to battle the blaze which was hampered by freezing temperatures that dipped as low as -20 C.
An online fundraising campaign launched to help support those affected by the fire has since raised more than $90,000 in just two days.
Classy Lane opened in 2003 and has five barns capable of holding 222 horses.
VIDEO: Many questions remain after deadly stable fire claims lives of more than 40 horses
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