With $25,000 on the line and just a few races standing between Bill Porter and the biggest payout of his life, it was an exciting time for the 76-year-old Elora-resident to have left his heart medication at the hotel.
Porter, longtime harness racing fan, had a more exhilarating day than he ever imagined at the TROT Canada National Handicapping Championships at the Raceway at Western Fair District in London on Nov. 12.
He has lived in Elora for the last six years, since retiring from a career working at GSW in Fergus. Raised in Durham, Porter’s family worked with horses on its farm.
His love of horses eventually led him to the track, where he discovered the fun of wagering a few dollars on the races.
Porter earned a spot in the TROT Canada National Handicapping Championships, sponsored by Standardbred Canada, by winning the Spring Handicapping Tournament at Grand River Raceway in June.
The term “handicapping” refers to the method by which bettors try to determine which horses will perform best. The championship participants were asked to select the winners of 15 races, including five mandatory races and 10 others of their choice from a handful of racetracks.
Coincidentally, an Elora connection helped Porter clinch the victory.
Randy Waples, a native of Centre Wellington and a four-time winner of the Battle of Waterloo, caught Porter’s eye as he searched for an opportunity to play the odds.
“I follow Randy,” said Porter. “When won the 2010 Battle of Waterloo he put on a bit of a show and you can tell he really enjoys racing in Elora.”
Waples was driving a filly named Waasmula for the first time in a $300,000 Ontario Sires Stakes final at Woodbine Racetrack. At 15-1, their odds did not appeal to most of the competitors in the handicapping contest, but Porter had a hunch Waples could pull it off.
“I was looking for something to give me an edge, plus I believed he had a legitimate chance of winning,” said Porter.
In the fastest mile of the three-year-old pacer’s freshman career, Waasmula and Waples crossed the finish line first to win the $300,000 race.
“That’s the one that won it for me. Randy just nosed it out,” said Porter.
The long odds meant Porter earned a big boost to his handicapping bankroll, enough to elevate him to first place. As the contest drew to a close, Porter was leading with $96.60 but the results from some of the other competitor’s races were still trickling in. One big win would have been enough to knock Porter out of the top spot, but luck prevailed and he managed to keep his heart rate under control as reality sunk in.
Porter beat out 33 other finalists from across the country to claim the $25,000 grand prize.
“During the last three races I was fidgeting a bit. That’s the biggest win I’ve ever had so I was pretty excited.”
Porter was presented with a giant cheque and a trophy, and he automatically qualifies for next year’s championship. He said he is not sure how he’ll spend his winnings yet, but he has some time to decide before the real cheque arrives in the mail.
“So far I’ve just got the big cheque; it’s sitting beside the TV. I haven’t decided yet, I might be looking for a new vehicle or go on a vacation. I’ve never had a win like that but I’m sure I’ll find a way to spend it.”
