Abe Orpen

Abraham 'Abe' Michael Orpen (February 9, 1854 – September 22, 1937) was a Canadian businessman, best known for his ownership of several horse-racing tracks in Ontario, Canada. Born in Toronto, Orpen first worked as a carpenter, became a hotel keeper, owned several construction-related businesses, then branched into horse-racing. He owned the Dufferin Park Racetrack, Hillcrest Racetrack and Long Branch Racetrack, and was a partner in the Kenilworth Park Racetrack at Windsor, Ontario, and the Thorncliffe Park Raceway in Leaside, Ontario. Orpen was well known as a facilitator of gambling, first at his hotel, and eventually at a casino in Mimico, Ontario. After his death, his family continued the horse-racing businesses until the 1950s, when they sold their tracks during a time of consolidation of racetracks in Ontario.

Early life Orpen was born in Toronto in 1854, at the family home at Oxford Street and Spadina Avenue.

Career After marrying Isabella Srigley It had three bedrooms and a bar. It became a den for poker, dice and bookmaking. According to Orpen, keeping a book and writing a sheet for Toronto bookies "was not legal, and not quite illegal" at the time.

The second race track that Orpen invested in was Hillcrest in Toronto, at Bathurst and Davenport. Opened in 1912, it operated only until 1916. During World War I, race tracks were closed and Orpen was forced to sell the property. and the site was developed as a housing subdivision.

In the 1920s, Orpen established the National Sporting Club gambling casino in Mimico, just outside the Toronto city limits on Lakeshore Road west of the Humber River. According to Orpen, the police always tipped him off when a raid was occurring. "Club members had keys; the police were the only ones that rang the doorbell."

In 1937, Orpen arrived at the National Sporting Club early one Monday morning. When he arrived, he was held hostage by three men who had broken in but could not crack the safe. Orpen could not open the safe, not knowing the combination. The robbers then demanded $5000. Orpen negotiated with them, promising them $1000 and that he would not reveal their identities. They went to his bank and Orpen withdrew the money. Orpen never revealed their identities. He is reputed to have told them to get another job and return to his club, where he could potentially recover his losses.

Character Orpen was well known for his many small acts of philanthropy and charity. He financed the operation of a soup kitchen for two years, although he shut it down after people complained that the soup was not good enough. When the MRA vacated its offices at King and Bay in December 1938, they kept the hat rack and hats that Abe had left the day he had the heart attack and placed it in their new office in the Crown Life building. Fred kept it in the office until the MRA was sold.

Abraham and Isabella were the parents of nine children. At the time of Orpen's death, his wife, two sons, Abraham Jr and Fred, and a daughter, Mrs T. Ambrose Woods, survived him. The two sons took over the racing businesses and operated them until they were sold in 1955 to the Ontario Jockey Club. The Orpen home at 380 Sherbourne Street is a designated heritage property. It has been converted into an apartment building.

Legacy Two stakes races that originated at the Orpen tracks continue to be run. The Canadian International Stakes and the Cup and Saucer Stakes, originally the Mrs. Orpen's Cup and Saucer Stakes. In 1954, the Orpen Memorial wading pool in Dufferin Grove Park was opened, donated by his son Fred Orpen. In 1980, Orpen was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame.