Off to the Races

Horse racing is a popular sport in Canada, dating back to the 18th century. One of the most prestigious titles in the sport is the Canadian Triple Crown, which is open to three-year-old thoroughbreds that were foaled in Canada. Throughout the novel, Elsie Silver conscientiously incorporates realistic details from the sport, as when Billie states that DD’s age will affect his eligibility to run in prestigious derbies. Although the specific race that DD wins, the Denman Derby, is not a real Canadian competition, there is an annual race in Great Britain known as the “Denman Chase,” which is named after a famous racehorse. The Canadian Triple Crown is made up of three races, each of which is run on a different surface (tapeta, dirt, and turf). The King’s Plate, which is run on tapeta (a synthetic surface specific to horse racing), is the oldest continuously run horse race in North America, having been held annually since 1860.

In Canada, it is legal to gambling on horse races within federal and provincial limits, but fixing horse races (the crime that Dermot Harding commits) is illegal. Penalties for fixing horse races can include substantial finds, revocation of titles, suspension from the sport for particular horses or owners, and, in some cases, outright incarceration. While the severity of these punishments varies by province, suspensions can be far lengthier than the mere months referenced in Off to the Races; some Canadian trainers found guilty of fixing races have been suspended from the sport for multiple decades.