Grand River Raceway’s 14th edition of its signature race, the Battle of Waterloo, will be contested on Aug. 1 as part of the racetrack’s Industry Day, a celebration of the horse racing industry.
Trainer Carl Jamieson is a five-time winner of the race, including the inaugural Battle Of Waterloo when it debuted at Elmira Raceway in 1998. Jody Jamieson, of Cambridge, has driven three of his dad’s winners.
The Battle Of Waterloo is contested by two-year-old pacing colts – freshmen in the first year of their racing careers. At $300,000, the Battle Of Waterloo is one of the richest races offered to that class. The winner takes half of the purse, and the remainder goes to the next four finishers.
Carl Jamieson is a renowned trainer of young horses. He is a career winner of more than 900 races and has purse earnings in excess of $21-million. He has already had a stellar season. In June, his three-year-old pacer, Up The Credit, won pacing’s richest race, the $1.5-million North America Cup at Mohawk Racetrack.
The Princeton trainer has another larger-than-life contender in the wings for Grand River Raceway’s big dash. Warrawee Needy is undefeated in four career starts. He was purchased by Jamieson and his co-owners at a yearling sale in 2010 for $20,000 and has already banked $113,500.
He has paced quicker than any of his contemporaries in Canada, and without any real display of effort. His biggest tests are in front of him, but he is, by all accounts, the horse to beat going into the Battle Of Waterloo.
It’s been four years since Jamieson had a victory in this race, and Warrawee Needy seems the likely candidate to turn it around. Hopefuls will start in elimination races at Grand River Raceway on July 25. The top nine performers will advance to the final on Industry Day.
That event, now in its 21st year, is recognized by racing enthusiasts as one of the best afternoons in harness racing across North America.
The Industry Day program offers top-notch horse racing worth a whopping $550,000 in purses. Included in the stellar lineup is the Battle Of Waterloo’s companion race – for the girls – the Battle Of The Belles. That $150,000 race will be contested by the province’s top rookie pacing fillies.
Other Industry Day activities include pony rides, horse crafts, and facepainting for the wee ones, plus free photos with a local celebrity horse.
Industry Day is held at Grand River Raceway, 7445 County Road 21, in Elora on the Aug. 1 holiday Monday)
Races begin at 1:30pm.
Admission and parking are always free. The event features 11 races.
For more information, visit www.GrandRiverRaceway.com or call 519-846-5455.
