Grand River Raceway marked its 27th annual Industry Day horse racing celebration on Aug. 7. The event featured 11 races totaling $460,000 in purses, including the track’s biggest races, the Battle Of Waterloo and Battle Of The Belles.
20th annual Battle Of Waterloo
Simple Kinda Man was crowned champ of the $200,200 Battle Of Waterloo for trainer Scott McEneny and owners M & L Of Delaware LLC.
The freshman Sportswriter colt was 7-1 as he left from post three and took control of the field in the early stretch to finish a length ahead of hard-closing Hudson Phil (James MacDonald). Race favourite Burning Midnight was third with Trevor Henry.
This was Simple Kinda Man’s sixth career start and second win. He was third in last week’s elimination division, where he started from post position seven. With the lion’s share of the Battle Of Waterloo purse, his career earnings now total $105,080.
9th annual Battle Of The Belles
Play The Bell granted trainer Casie Coleman and local driver Bob McClure (of Elora) their first Battle Of The Belles victories. The two-year-old Shadow Play daughter finished five lengths the best in 1:54.4 with Rendezvous Hanover (Corey Callahan) in second, paying $45.30 to place. Also-eligible Lady Bubbles drew into the race after a scratch and finished third with James MacDonald. Play The Bell’s career earnings climb to $96,888 for owners West Wins Stable, Mac Nichol and Calhoun Racing Ltd.
Ontario Sires Stakes
Kazimoto kicked off Industry Day in the first of three Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots divisions. The three-year-old pacing colt scored his fourth consecutive win in 1:56 for trainer Vic Puddy with Alfie Carroll at the reins. Rebel Voyager with Sylvain Filion and The Dark Shadow (Jody Jamieson) finished a length behind in the $18,450 dash.
Dream Of Luck captured the second OSS division with Doug McNair in the bike. Jeff Gillis trains and co-owns the Camluck son with Mac Nichol. Dream Of Luck led gate-to-wire to finish three lengths the best over Play For Gold (Tyler Moore) and Thrownoutofbetter (Phil Hudon) in 1:55.1 — the quickest mile of the OSS divisions.
Jody Jamieson steered Southwind General to his third career win in the third division. Jack Darling owns and trains the Sportswriter gelding who clocked his mile in 1:56.4.
Ugottobinittowinit was the runner-up with Bob McClure, followed by Heza Big Dealer for the show money.
Battle Of Waterloo Consolation Race
Phantom Seelster secured his third career win for trainer/owner Marcel Barrieau in the Battle Of Waterloo Consolation Race. Trevor Henry piloted the grey Mach Three son to a two length win over Notabadgame (Doug McNair).
OHHA Best Of Show
The Best Of Show competition sponsored, by the Ontario Harness Horse Association (OHHA), awarded $1,500 to the caretakers of horses racing on the Industry Day card.
Fifteen prizes of $100 were presented to the top five in each of the following categories: Best Of Show Head-To-Toe; Horse & Groom; Above & Beyond (braids, sparkles, etc.).
The winners were: Amy Cruise, Bailey Wright, Claude Grondin, Daryl Wayne, Alexis Hebert, Jennifer Defoy, Kayla Hendry, Lindsey Kerr, Mary Ferland, Natasha Day, Rachel Oenema, Richard Beaulieu, Shelley Henry, Tamara Vandewiel, and Tiffany Stein.
