Signature races reformatted but alive at Grand River Raceway:
New April 30^th Deadline For Nomination Payments

ELORA, ON — A sponsorship of $75,000 from the Grand River Agricultural Society (GRAS) has ensured the continuation of the Battle Of Waterloo and the Battle Of The Belles during the 2013 edition of the annual Industry Day Celebration at Grand River Raceway.

GRAS is the parent company of the Elora, ON track. The Board Of Directors voted to extend the cash as a base for the races, which are the highlight of the track’s annual Industry Day Celebration. This year marks the 23^rd edition of the popular afternoon event which takes place on Monday, August 5.

2012 Battle Of Waterloo Champ Tarpon Hanover (with Scott Zeron)

The sum will be split with $50,000 going toward the total purse for the Battle Of Waterloo and $25,000 going toward the total purse for the Battle Of The Belles.

The classification for these races remains the same. The 16^th annual Battle Of Waterloo is for ON-sired two-year-old pacing colts. The 5^th annual Battle Of The Belles is for ON-sired two-year-old pacing fillies.

Both races have been extensively reformatted, including a single eligibility payment (versus three). This change was necessary for 2013, given the time restraints created by the delay of the Ontario racing calendar post-SARP.

Some of the 2013 highlights include:

NOMINATION PAYMENT:
There is only one nomination payment, which must be postmarked by April 30/13.
• Battle Of Waterloo: $600 ($620 US)
• Battle Of The Belles: $400 ($415 US)

PURSES:
• Battle Of Waterloo Final: $100,000 G | $125,000 E
• Battle Of The Belles Final: $60,000 G | $75,000 E

• Battle Of Waterloo Elims: $12,500/division
• Battle Of The Belles Elims: $10,000/division

• Battle Of Waterloo Consolation: $20,000
• Battle Of The Belles Consolation: $15,000

ELIM STARTING FEES:
• Battle Of Waterloo Starting Fee: $750
• Battle Of The Belles: $500

Grand River Raceway reminds all entrants that at press time, the race dates referred to in the conditions for the Battle Of Waterloo and Battle Of The Belles are subject to confirmation by the ORC.

Visit this site’s STAKING section to download nomination forms and complete conditions for both races.

For further information about these races, please contact Kelly Spencer at (519) 846-5455 ext 238 or kspencer@grandriverraceway.com

Notice to owners of horses eligible to the 2013 Battle Of Waterloo and Battle Of The Belles:

Given the current situation in the Ontario racing industry, with regards to the discontinuation of the Slots At Racetracks Program (SAR), Grand River Raceway is unable to post conditions, entry forms, etc. for these two stake races.

This is normally the time of year when we market these races to owners of eligible colts and fillies in hopes of drawing your nominations and entry fees. At the time of this posting, the details of these races, and our 2013 live racing season, are unclear.

Beyond March 31, 2013, there are no certainties about our operation. As such, we have suspended our usual call for entries for these two stake races.

We will update this notice as details are defined.

If you have any questions, please contact Kelly Spencer at Grand River Raceway at (519) 886-7041.

Some more video treats from our 22nd annual Industry Day event:

MASCOT OBSTACLE RACE:

DRIVERS’ EDITION OF THE BOUNCY PONY STAKES:

Each industry Day, the Ontario Harness Horse Association hosts the Best Of Show Competition for race participants competing on Industry Day.

Congrats to the 2012 winners!

Best of Show Head-To-Toe:
Alaina Desantis $100
Megan Downey $50
Robert Cleary $25

Horse & Groom:
Laura Ireland $100
Cindy Rapson $50
Leslie Fritz $25

Harness Shine
Steve Hudon $75

Above & Beyond (braids, sparkles, etc.)
Danielle Wagner $75

Today was a good day to be Dave Menary.

A perfect summer afternoon set the stage for Grand River Raceway’s 22nd annual Industry Day event, and it was Menary who triumphed in both of the two biggest dashes of the day. The 33-year-old trainer took the lion’s share of the races’ combined race purses of $450,000.

Menary’s sweep began with Macharoundtheclock as she scored her first career win in the fourth edition of the $150,000 Battle Of The Belles. With Jody Jamieson at the helm, the Mach Three filly left from post six, got away last and swept the field at the three-quarter pole to finish a length over Raise Your Glass (Scott Zeron) and race favourite Its No Secret (Anthony MacDonald). She stopped the clock in 1:55.1, tying the stakes record set in 2010.
Macharoundtheclock was a $50,000 yearling. To date she has earned $82,440 in just three lifetime starts for Menary who co-owns the filly with his father Larry, plus Ken Ewen and Denis Breton.

Breton was back in the winners circle in the track’s signature race, the $300,000 Battle Of Waterloo. Menary trainee Tarpon Hanover was the betting favourite heading into the 15th  edition of the race. The Badlands Hanover colt didn’t disappoint as he cruised to a seven-length victory in a new stakes and track record of 1:53. Mach Pride (Anthony MacDonald) finished second followed by Bad Boy Hill (Randy Waples).

Breton and Menary share ownership of the colt with Brad Gray and Bruce Norris. Tarpon Hanover was an $82,000 yearling and has now banked $242,250. His 1:53 mile bests the stake record of 1:53.2 set by Menary trainee Prodigal Seelster in the 2010 Battle Of Waterloo, and matched last week by elimination winner Mach Pride.

For driver Scott Zeron, it was his second consecutive Battle Of Waterloo driving title after winning the 2011 edition with Machapelo.

As part of the Industry Day festivities, Grand River Raceway awarded Jody Jamieson bobbleheads with the redemption of a program voucher. The 200 dolls were gone within 10 minutes as a line circled the tarmac. Jamieson met fans and signed dolls prior to his first drive of the afternoon — Clik N in the Jim Lehman Memorial Race. The winning steer kicked off a driving triple for Jamieson.

He was back in the winners circle in the next dash for the $20,000 consolation race for the Battle Of The Belles. Jamieson controlled the pace from start to finish with Mary Celeste, finishing four lengths the best in a new lifetime mark of 1:55.4. The homebred Your Nemesis miss is owned by trainer Stephen Gillard and his wife Marilyn. The couple won the 2011 Battle Of The Belles Final with Your Beautiful.

Randy Waples had two wins on the card, starting with the $30,000 Battle Of Waterloo Consolation. Windsong Joker managed his third career win in five starts for trainer Barry Treen and owner Leonard Gamble.

Waples was back for the $130,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Final with Creampuff Macdaddy, a 9-1 winner in a new career best of 2:00.2 for owner Doug Millard of Woodstock. Trained by Brad Maxwell, the two-year-old trotting colt is a winner of two races from four career starts and $86,920.

Other winners on the $714,000 card included 2005 Battle Of Waterloo champ Button Up. Now nine, the 4-1 shot came on gamely in the stretch of race eight to record his 34th lifetime win and bump his earnings to $690,000 for Sure Gain Stable of St. Marys. He’s trained by Mark Horner and driven by Mike Horner.

The on-track handle for Grand River Raceway’s 2012 Industry Day event was up 16 percent over 2011 (from $90,559 to $104,974). The overall handle was up 12 percent (from $225,684 to $251,926).

It’s 10:19 a.m. on Industry Day and we’re working busily to put the final touches in place for a great afternoon. Our richest card ever at $714,000 … Hall Of Fame reunion with Goodtimes and Dave Wall … Jody Jamieson Bobbleheads … plenty of great stuff for the wee colts & fillies in your family …. and did I mention the weather is PERFECT?! Join us! Post time 1:30.

If you can’t join us on-track (and it’s a shame if you can’t!) you can watch our broadcast online starting at 1:00. Program available in PDF here.

Tarpon Hanover ... the 9-5 morningline favourite for the 15th annual $300,000 Battle Of Waterloo on Industry Day, August 6, 2012 . Post time 1:30. (IRON HORSE PHOTO)

The race program for Industry Day is available HERE.

For complete Industry Day details, click HERE.

And don’t forget to pick up one of our groovy Battle Of Waterloo tees on Industry Day, available in 4 fresh colours, as modeled by our Grand River Raceway staff!

Superhero treatment for Battle starters

Whoosh! Pow! Bam! Each year, Grand River Raceway creates a video tribute to starters in its signature race, the $300,000 Battle Of Waterloo and its companion dash, the $150,000 Battle Of The Belles.

With names like Soevil, Glinda Good Witch and Kamkar Kutie, it’s fitting that the 2012 theme is based on a comic book design.

The Amazing Battle Of The Belles

The Incredible Battle Of Waterloo

Both races are part of the track’s 22nd annual Industry Day Celebration, this Monday, August 6 at 1:30 p.m. It will be Grand River Raceway’s richest card to date with 11 races worth a total of nearly $700,000.

Industry Day Memories Slideshow

Battle Bound For Industry Day

Elimination races for Grand River Raceway’s Industry Day event were contested this evening, July 30.

A total of eight elimination dashes were featured for three stake events: the $300,000 Battle Of Waterloo (ON-sired two-year-old pacing colts); the $150,000 Battle Of The Belles (ON-sired two-year-old pacing fillies); and the $130,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Final for two-year-old trotting colts.

All three finals will be featured on an 11-race afternoon card valued at nearly $700,000 on Monday, August 6.

In each elimination event, a new Canadian or North American season record over a half-mile track was set.

Creampuff Macdaddy was the first record-setter, trotting to his maiden win in the first of three $40,000 OSS elimination rounds. The 19-1 longshot won in 2:01 for trainer Brad Maxwell and driver Jack Moiseyev.

Creampuff Macdaddy: 19-1 winner in OSS Elim #1 in 2:01 -- a Canadian season record (over a 1/2 mile track)

Raise Your Glass won the first elimination division for the Battle Of The Belles in a new Canadian season record of 1:58. Scott Zeron piloted the filly to complete a natural driving hat-trick.

The Anthony Monica trainee held the mark for just a few races though before Its No Secret churned in her third career victory, pacing to the wire in 1:56. It was driver Anthony MacDonald’s third win of the night.

Its No Secret in 1:56 -- a Canadian season record (over a 1/2 mile track)

Its No Secret is one of two Shawn Robinson students to advance to the fourth annual Battle Of The Belles. Burlesque was a third-place finisher in the second division with Trevor Henry at the controls.

Mach Pride tied the track record of 1:53.2 for freshman pacers set by Prodigal Seelster in 2010. The clocking is also a new North American season record over a half-mile track. It was the Mach Three son’s fifth win in seven outings for trainer Louie Eftimiadis and owner Gerald Mijal.

Mach Pride in 1:53.2: Ties the track record for 2-year-old pacing colts and sets a North American season record (over a 1/2 mile track)

Race favourite Tarpon Hanover finished a length back in second for Dave Menary, who will have two contenders in the final. Windsong Jack was the 1-9 favourite in his division and in a new career best of 1:55.1.

Menary was the 2010 winner of the Battle Of Waterloo with Prodigal Seelster. He’ll also have a hopeful for the Battle Of The Belles with Macharoundtheclock. She was second to Its No Secret in the second elimination.

The fourth annual Battle Of The Belles and 15^th annual Battle Of Waterloo and will go postward as races nine and 11, respectively, during Industry Day at Grand River Raceway on Monday, August 6. Post time for race one on Industry Day is 1:30 p.m.

Post position draws for all three stake races were conducted on July 30. The following are the fields for the finals on Industry Day:

POST POSITION DRAW FOR OSS GOLD FINAL

1. FILTHY PADDY                       tr: Robert MacKenzie     dr:  Jody Jamieson
2. SAM HAYES                             tr: Don Lindsey                 dr:  Dave Boughton
3. SPARKY GYPSY                       tr: Chris Beaver                dr:  Anthony MacDonald
4. THIRD PAT                              tr: Ed Greeno                    dr:  Ed Greeno
5. PHOTO MASS                         tr: Carl Jamieson             dr:  Jody Jamieson
6. GOTTA SECRET                     tr: Richard Moreau         dr:  Roger Mayotte
7. DEWER KASH                        tr: Joe Parkinson              dr:  Steve Byron
8. CREAMPUFF MACDADDY    tr: Brad Maxwell           dr:  Jack Moiseyev
9. MAJESTIZED                          tr: Linda Duncan             dr:  Jack Moiseyev

POST POSITION DRAW FOR BATTLE OF WATERLOO

1. SOEVIL                                     tr: Scott Osterhott          dr:  Trevor Henry
2. BAD BOY HILL                       tr:  Rod Boyd                   dr:  Anthony MacDonald
3. BOBBY HILL                           tr:  Casie Coleman          dr:  Jody Jamieson
4. WINDSONG JACK                tr:  Dave Menary            dr:  Scott Zeron
5. SANTANNA ONE                   tr:  Jeff Gillis                   dr:  Jody Jamieson
6. TARPON HANOVER             tr:  Dave Menary            dr:  Scott Zeron
7. BROCKS FORTUNE              tr:  Randy Fritz              dr:  Randy Fritz
8. ADVERSARY SEELSTER     tr:  Joe Hudon                dr:   Joe Hudon
9. MACH PRIDE                          tr: Louis Eftimiadis      dr: Anthony MacDonald

POST POSITION DRAW FOR THE BATTLE OF THE BELLES

1. KAMKAR KUTIE                     tr:  Carmen Auciello       dr: James MacDonald
2. RAISE YOUR GLASS              tr:   Anthony Monica      dr: Scott Zeron
3. RUTHLESS HILL                    tr:   Rod Boyd                   dr:  Anthony MacDonald
4. GLINDA GOOD WITCH        tr:   John Pentland         dr:  Mike Saftic
5. JAN IT JACKSON                    tr:   Isaac Waxman        dr:  JR Plante
6. MACHAROUNDTHECLOCK      tr:   Dave Menary     dr:  Jody Jamieson
7. ITS NO SECRET                      tr:   Shawn Robinson     dr:  Anthony MacDonald
8. BEST IMPRESSIONS             tr:   Roger Mayotte         dr:  Roger Mayotte
9. BURLESQUE                            tr:   Shawn Robinson     dr:  Trevor Henry

The race program for Monday, July 30 is now available HERE.

Great card worth more than $300,000: two Battle Of The Belles Elims, two OSS Gold Final Elims (2-year-old trotting colts) and three Battle Of Waterloo Elims. Post Time 7:05 p.m.The finals for all three of these stake races will be featured on Industry Day (Aug. 6 | 1:30).

Post Position Draws for all of the finals will be conducted live on the Tarmac Show (and shown on our broadcast). The times are noted below.