Prodigal Seelster stole the show in the $300,000 Battle Of Waterloo on Aug. 2.
Nine top two-year-old Ontario-sired pacing colts squared off in the track’s signature dash before a record Industry Day crowd celebrating the 20th anniversary of the event.
Prodigal Seelster’s 1:53.2 time not only set a new stakes record and track record, but also a new Canadian record for the fastest mile ever paced by a 2-year-old colt on a half-mile Canadian track.
The Camluck colt finished four lengths ahead of race favourite Mystician with Jody Jamieson, and Kyron with Rick Zeron. The win granted driver Randy Waples with his fourth Battle Of Waterloo victory.
A $60,000 yearling purchase at last year’s Forest City Sale, Prodigal Seelster is now a winner of two races from four starts and earnings of $169,300 for trainer Dave Menary and owners Larry Menary, Denis Breton, Kenneth Ewen, and the Double Or Nothing Stables of Hamilton.
Waples’ fourth win in the 13th edition of the Battle of Waterloo makes him the winningest driver in the history of the event. The Centre-Wellington driver also won with Wellthereyougo in 2009, Dreamfair Vogel in 2001, and Your Nemesis in 1999.
The second annual Battle Of The Belles race worth $150,000 went to driver Mark MacDonald and Village Janus. They set a new track record of 1:55.1 for two-year-old pacing fillies after holding off Bunkhouse Babe and Steve Condren to win by a neck.
Trainer Rod Therres of Cambridge, purchased the Modern Art filly with Larry Schmidt of Abbotsford BC for $21,000 at the Canadian open yearling sale in 2009.
A total of four track records were broken during the Industry Day event. Mystical Starlight and Jody Jamieson won the $15,000 Industry Day fillies and mares invitational trot by five lengths in 1:54.2, setting a new track record and equaling the Canadian season’s record for aged trotting mares. Darren McCall trains five-year-old mare for owners Glen Hobin and Ross Bradley of Stittsville.
Jamieson was also in the bike for Lady Latte’s victory in the $15,000 fillies and mares invitational pace, which produced a new track record of 1:53.2 for aged pacing mares.
Grand River Raceway’s signature event Industry Day – a celebration of the harness racing industry.
The afternoon card featured 11 races totaling $584,000 in purses. Headlining the program was the 13th annual Battle Of Waterloo as nine top two-year-old Ontario-sired pacing colts squared off in the $300,000 dash.
The afternoon offered several free, family-oriented activities and contests including pony rides, bouncers, a jousting ring, face painting, balloon artists, the Bone Man (equine education) and horse crafts are available throughout the afternoon.
In addition, the day featured ROMP (Racetracks of Ontario Marketing and Promotions) Mascot Road Show; Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) celebrity horse tour; $500 OHHA best of show competition for race participants; a free handicapping tournament: $1,000 in cash prizes and a spot awarded in the $25,000 TROT Canada national handicapping championship; – annual Industry Day bouncy pony stakes as four of Canada’s top drivers square-off in an hilarious race for charity
Industry Day is a celebration of the harness racing industry. This year marks the 20th anniversary of Industry Day, from its roots at Elmira Raceway, to its current glory at Grand River Raceway, where it is considered one of Canadian harness racing’s favourite events.
