by Kelly Spencer, Mgr. Marketing & Communications, Grand River Raceway

Elora, ON — Local father-son duo Gregg and Doug McNair captured their third Battle of Waterloo victory during the 25th anniversary edition of Grand River Raceway’s Industry Day celebration on Monday (Aug. 3).

The Guelph, Ontario residents won the race in 2008 with Trail Boss and again in 2013 with Three Of Clubs.

Magnum J was a 1:55.3 winner in the Battle of Waterloo.

A winner in his elimination one week ago, Magnum J went off at odds of 3-1 leaving from post seven in the $175,096 final. Doug McNair, 25, guided the 2-year-old pacer straight to the front of the nine-horse field and never looked back, maintaining the lead in the stretch against a fast-closing Stonebridge Beach with driver Stephane Pouliot. Magnum J finished a half-length the best in 1:55.3.

Gregg McNair purchased Magnum J for C$10,000 from last year’s Forest City Yearling Sale for co-owners Tony Lawrence and William Brown. The black gelding’s share of the 18th annual Battle of Waterloo brings his career bankroll to $97,746.

Team McNair was back to the winner’s circle for the Battle of the Belles consolation. Stonebridge Pearl was sixth in last week’s elimination but scored handily in Monday’s $11,550 contest. The Mach Three filly’s maiden win clocked in at 1:57.3 for Gregg McNair who co-owns with Terry and Jake Davidson.

Iron Horse photos

Jody Jamieson piloted Free Show to the winner’s circle in the Battle of the Belles.

In the Battle of the Belles final, trainer David Menary and driver Jody Jamieson teamed up for their second stakes win. The pair won the 2012 edition with Macharoundtheclock. This year’s $108,759 final was all Free Show as she scored her second career win after last week’s victory in the eliminations. Jamieson finished a length the best in 1:56.3 for Hutt Racing Stable, who paid just $14,000 for the Badlands Hanover filly as a yearling. She has now earned $85,530 in five career starts.

On the lighter side, driver James MacDonald stole the half-time show with an incredible repeat performance in the Industry Day Drivers’ Edition of the Bouncy Pony Stakes. The reinsman has won the event for the past five years. Fellow drivers Ryan Holliday, Tyler Moore and Travis Henry put up a good fight, but simply could not stack up against the unstoppable MacDonald.

“Everyone’s got their thing,” said MacDonald in a post-race interview. “Gretzky had hockey and I’ve got the bounce.”

The Best In Show competition sponsored by the Ontario Harness Horse Association awarded C$1,500 to the caretakers of horses racing on the Industry Day card. Fifteen prizes of C$100 were presented to the top five in each of the following categories: Best Of Show Head-To-Toe; Horse & Groom; Above & Beyond (braids, sparkles, etc.). The winners were Sharleen MacDonald, Brandy Jamieson, Marylou Gingras, Nancy O’Hagan, Alexis Hebert, Ethan Gagnon, Laura Ireland, Leanne Murphy, Kellie Browne, J. Richards, Rick Welsh, Kelley McNiven, Gabriella Sasso, Jeff Williams and Patty Drury.

A crowd of approximately 5,000 people wagered C$93,110 on-track. The total handle was C$312,548.