by Kelly Spencer, marketing & communications manager, Grand River Raceway
Elora, ON — Undefeated freshman Warrawee Needy cruised to his sixth career victory during the Battle of Waterloo eliminations at Grand River Raceway on Monday (July 25).
Warrawee Needy cruised to a 1:53.4 score for his sixth straight victory.
Campaigned and co-owned by five-time Battle of Waterloo winning trainer Carl Jamieson, the son of E Dee’s Cam-Great Memories moved three-wide at the half to grab the lead for driver Jody Jamieson. He won easily in 1:53.4 — just two-fifths of a second shy of the track, stake and Canadian record set by last year’s Battle of Waterloo champ, Prodigal Seelster.
Warrawee Needy’s 1:53.4 score set a new Canadian season record (formerly 1:57.3 set by Catch That Angel at Flamboro on July 17) and North American season record (formerly 1:56, set most recently on July 8 at Yonkers) for 2-year-old pacing colts over a half-mile track.
Secretsoftheknight finished second by 13 lengths with Doug McNair. Red Carpet Ride rounded out the top three with Scott Zeron.
Jamieson co-owns Warrawee Needy with Tom Kyron, breeder Dr. Michael Wilson and Floyd Marshall. He was a $20,000 yearling purchase and has banked $201,510 to date.
In a post-race interview, Carl Jamieson indicated he would drive the pacer in the C$300,000 final while son Jody represents Canada in the World Driving Championship in the U.S. next week. Carl Jamieson drove the first two of his five Battle of Waterloo winners — Distinctiv Skeeter in the inaugural edition of 1998 and C T Rocket in 2000.
Jamieson has another contender in the final as Czar Seelster was a 9-1 winner in the first elimination to score his maiden win. The Stonebridge Regal-C’mon Mama Cass son was bred by the Seelster Farms, breeder of the 2010 winner Prodigal Seelster.
The top four finishers from each elimination and one of the fifth-place finishers drawn by lot advance to the final on Industry Day (August 1).
$300,000 Battle of Waterloo Final
1. Two Guys
2. Red Carpet Dude
3. Machal Angelo
4. Machapelo
5. Warrawee Needy
6. Winbak Warrior
7. Czar Seelster
8. Coach Cal
9. Secretsoftheknight
Three divisions of 2-year-old pacing fillies were contested for top billing in the C$150,000 Battle of the Belles final on Industry Day.
Sylvain Filion drove two of the three winners, starting with Mindsweeper (Mach Three-Catch A Wish) in the first elimination division. One of five Mach Three fillies in the final, she finished eight lengths over Your Beautiful and Tymal Trilogy.
Iron Horse Photo
Mindsweeper paced to a track record time of 1:55.
The 1:55 mile bested the former track record of 1:55.1 set by Village Janus in the final of last year’s Battle of the Belles. It also ties the current Canadian and North American season records over a half-mile track set by Class Of O Nine at Flamboro on July 3.
Filion was back in the winner’s circle in the next division with Eat Me Up (Mach Three-Presidentialintern). She remains unbeaten in four races with a 1:57.1 clocking for trainer Gord Remmen and owner David Ratchford. Regal Attitude and Cooking The Books rounded out the top three.
The homebred Jereme’s Jet-Titanic Rose lass Classy Lane Rose marked her first career win in the third division. A winner in 1:57.3 for driver Paul MacDonell, she’s owned by trainer Ben Wallace and Jamie Millier. Almost Midnight was the runner-up for Stephen Gillard who bred, trains and owns the filly. He has two players in the final (stablemate Your Beautiful), both by Your Nemesis — winner of the 1999 Battle of Waterloo. Palm Patrol rounded out the top three for trainer Rene Laarman and driver Scott Zeron for Glenview Livestock Ltd.
The top three finishers from each division advance to the C$150,000 final.
$150,000 Battle of the Belles Final
1. Almost Midnight
2. Tymal Trilogy
3. Regal Attitude
4. Your Beautiful
5. Cooking The Books
6. Palm Patrol
7. Eat Me Up
8. Mindsweeper
9. Classy Lane Rose
The 14th annual Battle of Waterloo and third annual Battle of the Belles will go postward as races seven and nine, respectively, during Industry Day at Grand River Raceway on August 1. Post time for race one on Industry Day is 1:30 p.m.
For complete event details, visit www.GrandRiverRaceway.com.
Videos of all Battle of the Belles and Battle of Waterloo eliminations are posted at this link.