by Frank Salive, for Western Fair Raceway

London, ON — Grand Bend Turbo could carry the label of ‘top local hopeful’ for the 2008 Molson Pace at Western Fair Raceway — and that label would be connected to the lifetime winner of over C$670,000 for good reason.

“I consider Western Fair his home track and if you look at his lifetime record about half of his wins have been in London,” says trainer and co-owner Jim Ainsworth. “He loves the track and he gets over it just great.”

Ainsworth knows first hand. Prior to scaling back on driving duty in October of 2006, Ainsworth was in the bike when ‘Turbo’ tied London’s all-time, all-age track record of 1:53 on April 17, 2006 as a 4-year-old. The Camluck-Sweet Meant To Be pacer is now a 6-year-old and his strong record of success in London dates to his victory in an Ontario Sires Stakes 3-year-old colt pace Gold Final in 1:54.3 on May 14, 2005.

“He really impressed me when he won there on May 5 in 1:53.3,” says the 44-year-old conditioner who is closing in quickly on a milestone of 800 lifetime training wins for almost C$9.5 million. “I think we have him peaking at the right time. We’ll be giving Jody Jamieson first call to drive him in the Molson Pace. With me being based in Sarnia the Molson Pace is something I’ve always considered a top annual event in this part of Ontario. It’s a career highlight just to have a starter in it — it’d be a huge career highlight and dream come true to win it. But first things first. I want to wish everyone competing good luck; we’re just hoping for a good post position draw like all horsepeople do for half-mile track racing and we’ll take it from there.”

Big draw on Monday

By early afternoon on Monday, May 19, the post position draw results will be known for the Friday, May 23, eliminations card at Western Fair for both the Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Series 3-year-old filly pace and the 36th edition of the Molson Pace. The 2008 Molson Pace on May 30 will be the richest single race in the 47-year modern era history of live harness racing at Western Fair with the purse set at C$280,000, surpassing the C$275,000 final purses of 2004 (Four Starzz Shark) and 2005 (Ponder).

On Molson Pace night at Western Fair there will also be a premium commemorative Molson beer glass giveaway for the first 500 patrons rendering the program coupon after 6:30 p.m.

Through June 30, post time at Western Fair each Monday and Tuesday afternoon is 4:05 p.m., and each Friday evening at 7:35 p.m.