New Era for a Grand Tradition: Excitement building on Grand River Raceway’s 5/8 mile track for Industry Day

(Written by Melissa Keith for Grand River Raceway) 

Industry Day at Grand River Raceway will have a brand-new feel on Monday, August 5, 2024. Since the former half-mile oval was expanded to a five-eighth-mile track this meet, many of its track records have been rewritten. Fittingly, this year’s Battle of Waterloo, sponsored by Winbak Farm, will see the newly-minted record holders for 2-year-old colts and geldings face off in the Monday, August 5, 2024 final.

The Battle of Waterloo was established in 1998 at Elmira Raceway. It was relocated to Grand River Raceway in 2004, where it continues to be operated by the Grand River Agricultural Society. Open to Ontario-sired 2-year-old pacers, the Battle of Waterloo final and its companion race for 2-year-old filly pacers, the Battle of the Belles, are annual highlights of the Industry Day card at Grand River.

Two eliminations for the 2024 Battle of Waterloo took place Monday night (July 29) at the Elora, ON track.

In the first (race 6), the grey Sterling Choice and driver James MacDonald grabbed the early lead. They were confronted by first-over challenger Set Shot (driven by Sylvian Filion) nearing the 26.3 opening quarter. Stonebridge Wizard and Doug McNair left the pocket to overtake Set Shot soon after that colt made front. Under pressure from first-over Sunsational past the 55.4 half, Stonebridge Wizard battled back, leading to three-quarters in 1:24.3 and holding off a late move from Out of Ice (driven by Jody Jamieson) for the 1:52.4f victory, the quickest by a 2-year-old gelding on a Canadian five-eighth-mile track this year.

It was the third win in four career starts for Stonebridge Wizard (p, 2, 1:52s; $93,800), a colt from the first crop of Dancin Lou, out of the mare Odds On Magic. Bred by Angie Stiller of London, ON and sold for $32,000 at the 2023 London Classic Sale, Stonebridge Wizard is owned by David Kryway of Amherstburg, ON and trained by Jared Bako. The winning 3/5 favourite drew post #5 in the $245,400 (Can.) Battle of Waterloo final.

The second elimination (race 8) saw Tito N Cheddar take early command for driver Louis-Philippe Roy, as 70/1 Wicked Weston and Jason Ryan pursued them first over, leaving aggressively from the outside post. The longshot cleared to the lead at the 27.1 quarter, and then faced a first-over challenge from Fifth and Five and driver Jody Jamieson, who quickly took charge. Tito N Cheddar came after Fifth and Five before the second turn, pressing the pace to the 55.2 half. The colts waged war along the backstretch, before Jamieson’s horse pulled ahead at three-quarters, reached in 1:23.4. Fifth and Five opened up late in a 1:51.4f track record mile, also the fastest of the year in Canada by any 2-year-old pacer on a five-eighth-mile track. Allstar Maniac (driven by James MacDonald) closed late for place.

Fifth and Five (p, 2, 1:51.4f; $32,072) drew post #2 in Monday’s Battle of Waterloo final. He was bred by Darryl Kaplan of Toronto, ON with Roy Sproxton and Harbhajan Singh Dhillon, both of Brampton, ON. The Bettors Delight colt is the first foal of dam Filou Fly Fast, and sold for $32,000 at the 2023 Lexington Select Sale. He is now owned by trainer Carl Jamieson of Puslinch, ON, with 1140545 Ontario Ltd, Guelph, ON and Trevor Edwards of Kirkton, ON.

Carl Jamieson also captured the inaugural Battle of Waterloo in 1998, training and driving Distinctiv Skeeter (p, 7, 1:53.2f; $551,382) to the 1:59.1h victory after a narrow loss in their elimination. Carl also trained and drove 2000 “Battle” champion C T Rocket (p, 4, 1:52m; $201,039) before teaming up with son Jody for victories in the 2002 (Village Blitz), 2004 (Banner Yankee), 2006 (Warrawee Ideal), and 2019 (Sports Obsession) editions.

The eleven-race card will include two Pick 5s. The early Pick 5, beginning in race 1, features a guaranteed pool of $10,000. The “Super-Charged” late Pick 5 (races 7-11) also offers a guaranteed pool of $10,000, for a sequence that includes two Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots Legs for 3-year-old male pacers (races 7 and 8), the “Button Up” Preferred 2 (race 9), the $175,200 Battle of the Belles final (race 10), and the Battle of Waterloo final (race 11).

There will also be two Pick 4s offered. The early Pick 4 (races 2-5) has a guaranteed pool of $5,000, and the late Pick 4 (races 8-11) has a guaranteed pool of $7,500. The Battle of Waterloo will also offer a Super Hi-5 wager with a guaranteed pool of $7,500. All wagers listed above will offer a low 15% takeout.

This year marks the 35th anniversary of Industry Day, which features 11 live races alongside family-friendly entertainment at the track. The NEIGHbourhood Kids Area provides face painting, inflatable axe-throwing, and other fun activities, while food trucks from Berlin 95, MegaCone Creamery, and others will offer a range of options at the East Gate.

Post time for the afternoon card is 12:30 pm (Eastern). Additional information, plus a webpage to purchase tickets for VIP Captain’s Quarters seating, can be found at: https://grandriverraceway.com/events/industry-day/