Kristina Rennich started working as a groom at the Fraser Downs racetrack, formerly known as Cloverdale Raceway, when she decided to turn her passion for horses into a career at the age of 12.
Rennich, 53, said she used to tag along with trainers to soak up every piece of knowledge she could at the track in Surrey, B.C., which has operated for almost 50 years.
She said the abrupt announcement of the harness racing track's closure last week is a blow to her childhood memories.
"That was a place that helped me develop into the person I became," said Rennich, who now runs a facility looking after special-needs horses in Edmonton.
"I do feel like a part of me is gone, even though I haven't been back there, but knowing it was there (was) like you can go home," said Rennich, adding that many trainers and staff would feel emptiness at the news.
Great Canadian Entertainment, which owns and runs the racetrack that is adjacent to its Elements Casino, said Friday would end horse racing immediately, after the City of Surrey, which owns the grounds, terminated the lease.
Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke said in a statement that the city ended the lease to begin work to "revitalize" the Cloverdale fairgrounds and town centre.
She said the racetrack and backstretch take up more than 4.8 hectares, and the revitalization aims to deliver new housing and public spaces, support a $3-billion hospital, and expand recreation.
"We respect the long history of horse racing in Surrey and the people connected to it. We carefully weighed those impacts against the citywide benefits of revitalization," said Locke.
"This is a city-building decision about using public land for the greatest public good, taken within our constitutional rights and with proper notice."
The mayor said the Elements Casino is not affected by the lease termination, and no horses were on site due to ongoing health and safety work in the backstretch area.
Rodrigo Perez, an assistant general manager of Fraser Downs, said the decision touches everyone who has been a part of Fraser Downs' "long and proud" history, from the racing community to many people who shared a passion for standardbred racing.
The racetrack opened in 1976 under the name Cloverdale Raceway, before being rebranded as Fraser Downs in 1996.
Rennich said that although she hasn't been to Cloverdale in 35 years, the news left her feeling empty. There was a flood of memories, of cleaning stalls, petting the horses, and race nights filled with shining lights and adrenaline.
"These horses were extremely well looked after, because they're athletes. So, it wasn't just driving them and working with them around the track, but it was also massage and grooming and checking everything," said Rennich.
"It was a lot about keeping these horses in great mental condition as well."
Some horses loved fresh carrots while others wanted scratches in "all the right places," recalled Rennich.
Rennich said the place taught her a work ethic.
"And I'll tell you, even when I was young, those trainers didn't give me a break," said Rennich. "You can't be sick or take a day off. These horses need to be looked after."
When it was cold and rainy "you had to work through it."
Then came race night.
"The grandstand was full and the lights were on, and you would get them ready, hand them to the driver, and then you would just hope for the best because these were animals you worked with every day, and you wanted to see them do great, and it was a payoff," said Rennich.
"It was a payoff for the hard work and the early mornings."
Not everyone is sad to see the racetrack closed.
The Vancouver Humane Society welcoming the city's decision, calling horse racing "outdated" and "harmful" entertainment.
"While the closure at Fraser Downs marks an end to racing at that site, it is emblematic of a wider, long-overdue shift away from horse racing,” the society's campaign director, Emily Pickett, said in a statement.
“Horse racing inherently subjects horses to pressure and danger, debilitating injuries, early physical decline, and at times fatal outcomes.”
The Cloverdale District Chamber of Commerce said it was saddened by the closure, saying harness racing had been an important part of Cloverdale's identity, economy, and community spirit.
Former Surrey mayor Doug McCallum, a former CEO of Harness Racing BC, criticized Locke for having "steamrolled an entire industry."
“Trainers, breeders, jockeys, and workers with unique skill sets are now out of work. These aren’t jobs that can be replaced overnight," said McCullum.
Rennich said drivers, trainers, veterinarians, and the farriers would feel a "large hole" in their lives after the closure.
The closure also meant the loss of a lifestyle for young people that was healthy, outdoors and active.
"I think it's a real shame to lose it," she said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 19, 2025.
Nono Shen, The Canadian Press
