Battle Elims Set

By: Grand River Raceway

Battle elimination races set at Grand River Raceway

ELORA, ON — On Monday night, 16 colts and 20 fillies will vie for a spot on center stage of Grand River Raceway’s marquee event, Industry Day.

While the 26th edition of the horse racing industry celebration is on August 1, finalists in the $139,500 Battle Of Waterloo and $92,800 Battle Of The Belles will be decided on July 25, as the Elora, ON track hosts a total of five elimination rounds.

BATTLE OF WATERLOO
Two elimination divisions of the Battle Of Waterloo (for Ontario-sired two-year-old pacing colts) are carded for races four and eight. The top four finishers from each division, plus one of the two fifth-place finishers (as determined by draw) will advance to the final of the 19th annual Battle Of Waterloo on August 1.

Past Battle Of Waterloo-winning trainers Ian Moore, Bob McIntosh, and Gregg McNair have one hopeful in each of the two divisions.

Trainer Blake MacIntosh also has two contenders: Brave World from post seven in Race 4, and Sports Column in Race 8. The Sportswriter colt holds the current North American season’s record for his 1:52.1 maiden win over Mohawk Racetrack on July 4. On July 16, he was second by a neck to Happy Trio, who will start to his left, from post one, in Monday’s Battle elimination division.

Happy Trio won that OSS Gold division at Mohawk Racetrack in 1:53.2m bumping his career earnings to $79,870 in three starts. He is conditioned by trainer Tony O’Sullivan who also campaigns the outside starter in the first division, Calvin K, a North American season’s record-setter with a 1:52.3 triumph in his second career win on July 4 at Mohawk Racetrack.

Silverinyourpocket (R4 #3) is the morningline favourite in the first division for Canada’s leading money-winning trainer, Richard Moreau, of Puslinch, ON. The Badlands Hanover colt is fresh off a 1:53.3 win in OSS Grassroots action at Mohawk Racetrack with driver Sylvain Filion.

Although he enters Race 8 with less experience than the competition, Dreamfair B J set a Canadian season’s record for a freshman colt over a half-mile track when he won his lone qualifying race at Grand River Raceway on July 13 for trainer Patrick Fletcher and driver Phil Hudon. Dreamfair B J is bred and owned by John Lamers, who won the 2001 edition of the Battle Of Waterloo with Dreamfair Vogel.

BATTLE OF THE BELLES
Three elimination divisions of the Battle Of The Belles (for Ontario-sired two-year-old pacing fillies) are carded for races one, two and six. The top three finishers from each division will advance to the final of the 8th annual Battle Of The Belles on August 1.

Past Battle Of The Belles-winning trainers Gregg McNair and Stephen Gillard each have one campaigner in Monday’s elims.

Eddie Green has a pair of hopefuls, including Canadian season record-holder Warrawee Speedy. Her maiden win in 1:57.1 over Hiawatha Horse Park on June 18 remains the quickest of the season over a five-eighths oval. She will start from the rail in the third division (Race 6) with Green in the bike.

Village Jamie will start from post four in the second division for Green. The Mach Three miss is a half-sister to the 2010 Battle Of The Belles champ, Village Janus.

Mike Weller trains the 8-5 morningline favourite in the first division, Aint Three OK. The Mach Three daughter was scratched sick in last week’s OSS Gold division at Mohawk Racetrack. She was second by a neck two weeks before, with Trevor Henry, who pilots her from post five on Monday.

POST POSITION DRAW
Starting positions for the finals of the Battle Of Waterloo and Battle Of The Belles will be determined during a post position draw which will be conducted and broadcast live following race nine on July 25.

Grand River Raceway’s Industry Day Celebration on August 1 features an 11-race card which also includes racing under saddle, consolation races for the Battles, and a Gold Leg for three-year-old pacing fillies in the Ontario Sires Stakes. Festivities and the TV broadcast kick off at 1:00 p.m. Post time for the first race is 1:30 p.m.

For complete event details, visit http://industrydaycelebration.com/

Post time for race one of Monday’s elimination races is 6:35 p.m.

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