Grand River Raceway’s Industry Day is widely regarded as one of the best days of the summer for area harness racing fans.
This year, festivities and the TV broadcast kick off at 1pm on Aug. 4. Post time for the first dash is 1:30pm.
The 24th annual event includes an 11-race card with more than $350,000 in purses. The main feature of the day is Grand River Raceway’s signature dash, the 17th annual Battle Of Waterloo. There are 159 Ontario-sired two-year-old pacing colts eligible to start in the $180,000 (estimated) dash.
The sixth annual Battle Of The Belles will be contested for $120,000 (estimated) and 150 Ontario-sired two-year-old pacing fillies remain eligible.
The nine finalists for each of those races will be determined during eliminations contested a week prior (July 28, post time 6:30pm). Post position draws for both finals will be conducted during the TV broadcast on July 28.
Rounding out the Industry Day race card are consolation races for the Battles, plus a Gold Leg for three-year-old pacing colts in the Ontario Sires Stakes.
During the afternoon event, Grand River Raceway and the Canadian Horse Racing Hall Of Fame will salute the track’s general manager, Dr. Ted Clarke, who will be inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame on Aug. 6.
Industry Day offers many other attractions, including:
– RUS Ontario will feature back-to-back racing under saddle events, beginning with a Canada vs. Norway race on Aug. 1. On Industry Day, it’s the RUS International, featuring riders from several different countries;
– fans are invited to meet Paula Seelster and her Badlands Hanover youngster from 1 to 3pm and submit entries for the Name The Foal contest to win dinner at Grand River Raceway, which will donate $1 to the Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society for each submission;
– an All-Access Kid’s Pass is available on-site for $5 and includes face painting, balloon artists, bouncy castles, and pony rides (1 to 5pm);
For complete event details, visit http://industrydaycelebration.com.
