Upsets prevail on Industry Day at Grand River Raceway
August 4, 2014,by Kelly Spencer, Mgr. Marketing & Communications, Grand River Raceway
Elora, ON — Upsets stole the show in both of the biggest races of Grand River Raceway’s 24th annual Industry Day celebration on Monday (Aug. 4).
The afternoon card featured 12 races worth C$655,640, including the 17th annual Battle of Waterloo for 2-year-old Ontario-sired pacing males.
Iron Horse Photo
Go Daddy Go won the Battle of Waterloo for driver John Campbell.
Legendary Hall of Fame driver John Campbell made his Grand River Raceway debut in last week’s elimination races for the Battle of Waterloo. Monday afternoon, the New Jersey based Ontario native posted a 7-1 win with Go Daddy Go in the C$217,140 final.
The score also gave fellow Hall of Famer, trainer Robert McIntosh, his first Battle of Waterloo victory. McIntosh bred and co-owns the chestnut colt with Dave Boyle.
Go Daddy Go (Ponder-Sanfrancine) finished nearly two lengths ahead of race favorite Sporting The Look with Jody Jamieson in the bike for five-time Battle of Waterloo winning trainer Carl Jamieson. Trainer Casie Coleman had four horses in the race, which finished third through sixth.
Click here for the Battle of Waterloo video.
In the fillies’ sixth annual Battle of the Belles, it was driver James MacDonald at the helm in a 20-1 whopper with Win The Gold for trainer Tony O’Sullivan and owner/breeder Emerald Highlands Farm.
Leaving from post two, the Sportswriter-Full Of Gold daughter moved first-over at the halfway marker and powered home in the stretch to overtake betting favorite Sports Chic and Jody Jamieson, winning by a neck. Capela and John Campbell rounded out the top three.
The C$138,000 race marked Win The Gold’s maiden win in three career starts.
Click here for the Battle of the Belles video.
The Industry Day race card also featured a C$30,000 consolation race for the Battle of Waterloo and the C$25,000 consolation for the Battle of the Belles.
In the Battle of the Belles consolation, Billy Davis Jr. steered Delightful Hill to her second career win with a half-length margin over Northern Starlet and Akissfromtheart in 1:56.1 for trainer Tony Alagna and owner Tom Hill.
Seaforth made a strong comeback after last week’s break in stride in his elimination division for the Battle of Waterloo. He won the C$30,000 Battle of Waterloo consolation dash by 1-3/4 lengths over Lyons Jimmydean and Jet Settin Mitt. Mike Saftic steered the homebred Eric Adams trainee for Millar Farms. It was the colt’s first career win in four starts.
The International Trot presented by Racing Under Saddle Ontario featured riders from Canada, Sweden, United States, Finland, Norway and Belgium.
Saara Jalasti of Finland was the champ, scoring her first Canadian win. She rode 8-year-old Tragically Shipp to a four length win over Angies Lucky Star (Philippe Masschaele of Belgium) and Hetties Honey (Anna Humphris of Canada). The Monte Trot was Tragically Shipp’s first win of the season for trainer Lee Watson and owners Lynne and David Magee.
Click here for the RUS video.
Other Industry Day highlights included the tenth annual Drivers’ Edition of the Bouncy Pony Stakes. Boldly predicting a huge win during a pre-race interview, James MacDonald won for the fourth consecutive year, finishing a mere nose over his brotherly rival, Anthony MacDonald. Ryan Holliday and RUS rider Sarah Town rounded out the field.
Bouncy Pony Stakes video.
The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame made a special presentation to Grand River Raceway General Manager Dr. Ted Clarke, who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in the Builders Category on Aug. 6. The congratulatory banner was signed by hundreds of fans and horsepeople and was presented by Linda Rainey of the Hall of Fame and Paul Walker, President of the Grand River Agricultural Society.
The Ontario Harness Horse Association held their annual Industry Day Best Of Show Competition, awarding C$500 in prize money to the top horses and caretakers racing on Industry Day.
The winners were:
Best Of Show Head-To-Toe:
1st: Maria Flink ($100); 2nd: Kathy Edwards ($50); 3rd: Amy Cruise ($25)
Horse & Groom:
1st: Linda Coleman ($100); 2nd: Stacey Reinsma ($50); 3rd: Amy Turcotte ($25)
Harness Shine:
Amy McNair: $75
Above & Beyond (bling):
Tiffany Stein: ($75)
The Industry Day on-track handle was C$102,773 — an increase of 11 percent over 2013.
Photos from the afternoon can be viewed on the Grand River Raceway Facebook page.
- OSS glamour boys put on a show at Grand River (Monday, August 04, 2014)
Three C$70,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold divisions for 3-year-old pacing colts were part of the Battle of Waterloo undercard Monday at Grand River Raceway and the boys put on a show for the crowd, including establishing a track record.