Battle Finalists Determined at Grand River Raceway

Battle Finalists Determined at Grand River Raceway

ELORA, ON — Elimination races for Grand River Raceway’s 25th annual Industry Day event (on Monday, August 3) were contested during five elimination rounds this evening, July 27.

BATTLE OF THE BELLES

Three elimination divisions of the Battle Of The Belles (for Ontario-sired two-year-old pacing fillies) were carded as races one, three and six. The top three finishers from each division advance to the $141,246 final of the 7th annual Battle Of The Belles on August 3.

 

Tempus Seelster took home the first win of the elimination card and secured herself a spot in the $141,246 final of the 7th edition of the Battle of the Belles.  The 1:56.1 score in the first division marked the Big Jim filly’s maiden win. Trainer/driver Travis Henry piloted the filly for owners Benbar Stables, Glen Wark and Craig Wood. Henry and Tempus Seelster will leave from the trailing position in the final. Doug McNair and Sports Expert followed by a half-length to finish second for trainer Blake MacIntosh. Heavenly Bet was third, securing a spot in the final for trainer Des Tackoor.

 

The second Belles elimination was stolen by Jody Jamieson and Free Show. The David Menary trainee challenged Bold Amoretto for the lead after Noone To Depend On and Radar Trap both broke stride around the first turn. Jamieson cut the entire mile for a length victory in 1:55.4 over Paul Mackenzie and Bold Amoretto.

 

Blake Macintosh will have two hopefuls in the Belles final after McNair and Mattjestic Tempo left early and secured a four-length victory in the third and final Belles elimination. McNair and Mattjestic Tempo stopped the clock at 1:55.2 with James MacDonald and Golden Idol finishing second. Im In Luv and Jody Jamieson were third.

Golden Idol will leave from the coveted rail position in the final for trainer Tony O’Sullivan of Cambridge, ON. O’Sullivan and MacDonald (of Guelph, ON) teamed up last year with Golden Idol’s full sister, Win the Gold, and captured the Battle of the Belles final.

 

BATTLE OF WATERLOO

Two elimination divisions of the Battle Of Waterloo (for Ontario-sired two-year-old pacing colts) were carded as races two and seven. The top four finishers from each division, plus one of the two fifth-place finishers (as determined by draw) advance to the $207,397 final of the 18th annual Battle Of Waterloo on August 3.

O’Sullivan and MacDonald were back in action for the first of two Battle of Waterloo eliminations which saw a Canadian season’s record set by Semi Automatic. The Badlands Hanover colt left from the two-hole and put in some work to reach the top after the rail horse, Think On It, broke stride off the gate. MacDonald took two seconds off the current Canadian season record when he stopped the clock at 1:53.4. Semi Automatic will trail the field (post 9) in the $207,397 Battle of Waterloo final.

 

Think On It managed to come back and finish fifth for trainer/co-owner Robert McIntosh. The good fortune continued when the homebred son of Ponder drew the coveted rail position for the final. Imsporty and Carolina Hurricane were second and third respectively.

 

Doug McNair and Magnum J captured the second and final elimination for the Battle of Waterloo. McNair steered the Gregg McNair conditioned colt around the seven horse, Chalk Player, at the first quarter to take the lead. The pair stayed on top for the remainder of the mile and crossed the finish line two lengths ahead of Chalk Player and Bob McClure.

The seventh annual Battle of the Belles and 18th annual Battle of Waterloo will be contested during Industry Day’s 25th anniversary card at Grand River Raceway on Monday, August 3. Post time for race one is 1:30 p.m.

For complete event details, visit www.IndustryDayCelebration.com

Post position draws for both stake races were conducted on July 27. The following are the fields for the finals on Industry Day:

POST POSITIONS FOR THE $207,397 BATTLE OF WATERLOO

HORSE                                DRIVER                               TRAINER             

  1. Think On It                                    John Campbell                   Robert McIntosh

 

  1. Stonebridge Beach                     Stephane Pouliot                             Stephane Larocque

 

  1. A Bettors Risk               Jonathan Drury                 Casie Coleman

 

  1. Carolina Hurricane                      Sylvain Filion                                     Ronald Adams

 

  1. Continual Hanover                      Michael Saftic                                  John Darling

 

  1. Imsporty                                       Jody Jamieson                                  Carl Jamieson

 

  1. Magnum J                                     Doug McNair                                    Gregg McNair

 

  1. Chalk Player                  Bob McClure                                     Jeffrey Gillis

 

  1. Semi Automatic                           James MacDonald                           Tony O’Sullivan

 

 

POST POSITIONS FOR THE $141,246 BATTLE OF THE BELLES

 

HORSE                                DRIVER                               TRAINER                            
1. Golden Idol                                   James MacDonald                           Tony O’Sullivan

 

  1. Mattjestic Tempo                       Doug McNair                                    Blake MacIntosh

 

  1. Im In Luv                                       Jody Jamieson                                  Carl Jamieson

 

  1. Free Show                                     Jody Jamieson                                  David Menary

 

  1. Betty Hill                                       Jonathan Drury                 Carmen Auciello

 

  1. Sports Expert                Doug McNaIr                                    Blake MacIntosh

 

  1. Heavenly Bet                 Jody Jamieson                                  Des Tackoor

 

  1. Bold Amoretto                             Paul Mackenzie                 Ian Moore

 

  1. Tempus Seelster                          Travis Henry                                      Travis Henry

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PHOTOS of Elimination Race winners: Iron Horse Photo Inc.

FFI:

Kelly Spencer

Mgr. Marketing & Communications
Grand River Raceway

Office: (519) 846-5455 ext. 238

Cell: (519) 465-7908

kspencer@grandriverraceway.com