by Greg Gangle, WEG Communications

Campbellville, ON — Richard Young, co-owner of world champion mare Put On A Show, is once again supporting A Spring Of Hope, a charity near and dear to his heart.

Founded by his daughter Brittany and wife Joanne, A Spring Of Hope is a public foundation, which builds water wells in rural African schools to improve community health conditions and to promote education at a grassroots level.

Young, along with Woodbine Entertainment Group, organized the inaugural edition of the event for older pacing mares in 2011.

“There are two reasons why I wanted to do this,” Young said. “One, I wanted to do whatever I could to support the charity. Two, I also was thinking that there are not enough races for aged pacing mares. So, last year, I asked Bruce Murray (Vice President of Standardbred Racing, WEG) if it was possible to do something like this and we were able to work something out.”

Lisa photo

Put On A Show scored a world record 1:47.3 victory in the Lady Liberty at the Meadowlands.

Last year, Young’s Put On A Show was unable to participate due to injury, but this year, the earner of $2,266,909 will be the headliner in the C$100,000 A Spring Of Hope.

“Wherever she finishes in the race, I will donate 50 percent of her earnings to the charity,” he said. “I would say she has an excellent chance of picking up a decent check and I’m looking forward to the event on Saturday. It’s a great cause.”

Young has also encouraged the connections of each horse to support the charity.

“It’s a charity event and we hope that the participants will contribute to A Spring Of Hope, just like a regular stake race, in lieu of a starting fee.”

A raffle will also take place for a chance to win two pictures by Artissimo Designs. Raffle tickets will sell for $2 each on Saturday inside the Mohawk entrance. All money raised will be donated to A Spring Of Hope.

Young, admittedly, will be on the edge of his seat when he cheers on Put On A Show and I Luv The Nitelife, who will contest in the C$610,000 She’s A Great Lady final for freshman pacing fillies.

After Put On A Show became the fastest mare in history with her 1:47.3 world record performance at the Meadowlands on August 4 (Hambletonian Day), I Luv The Nitelife also gained world champion status when she lowered the world record to 1:50.1 in her She’s A Great Lady elimination this past Saturday.

“I’ve been in this game for 25 years and never had anything close to a world champion…now I have two in one month. It’s incredible,” Young said.

Put On A Show will begin from post seven in race three, while I Luv The Nitelife will start from post three in race seven.

Chris Ryder, trainer of both Put On A Show and I Luv The Nitelife, spoke with WEG’s Media Department this past Saturday. To watch the video, click here.