Oak Grove, KY – Oak Grove Racing and Gaming Race Secretary Kevin Mack gave the United States Harness Driving Club (USHDC) an opportunity to spread its generosity further by featuring events on both Sunday (July 13) and Monday, with the Sunday event honoring Safe Harbor Sanctuary and Monday to benefit the Christian County Cattlemen’s Association.
Sunday’s USHDC event went to Hold My Drink and driver Travis Williams Jr. in 1:54.3.
The 5-year-old gelded son of So Surreal, beginning from the inside post, decided to take the shortest route around the oval and survived a :26.1, :54.4 and 1:23.4 war to draw clear in the final stages and score by 1-3/4 lengths over the fast-closing Western Rosie, teamed with Cassidy Whitton.
D A Wicked Shine, traveling the longest route of all during the event, finished a game third for Dein Spriggs while Seriously Feared and Zayler Maxwell finished fourth after being the main combatant against the winner much of the way.
Dontinvitemein, with Michael Riley handling the lines and also prominent much of the way, picked up the nickel.
This was a war from stride number one as Hold My Drink left with alacrity but was joined by a trio of others with the scramble into the stretch the first time looking like a typical one turning for the finish.
But Hold My Drink repelled all threats and prevailed handily at the end.
For Hold My Drink it was his second win of the season in eight starts, good for $19,040 and $66,021 lifetime.
For the sturdily built 25-year-old Williams, a football star in his high school days, it was his first success of the year in 15 trips behind the starting gate.
In the winner’s circle after the event, the USHDC made yet another charitable donation, this one to the Safe Harbor Sanctuary, a non-profit, all-volunteer network of foster farms in Kentucky and Tennessee dedicated to “improve the welfare of horses and humans in our region,” explained Elizabeth Howe, rescue director for the sanctuary.
Howe continued, “We are passionate about horses, educating our communities and making sure our horses are placed in safe and secure locations and appreciate this donation so very much!”
The USHDC generosity continues Monday with the Christian County Cattlemen’s Association to receive a donation in the Oak Grove winner’s circle after the second race.