Spectator Free Racing to Begin June 11th
Grand River Raceway is set to begin live racing ahead of schedule given the most recent Provincial Government announcement. Effective Friday, June 11th, the government has indicated that the province will move to Step One which allows for spectator free live racing.
“I speak not only for myself but the entire industry when I say we are ready to get back to racing. It has been a struggle navigating this pandemic and the impact it has had on horse racing, but we continue to get our horses ready and I am looking forward to hitting the racetrack” says Scott Coulter leading driver at Grand River Raceway in 2020.
Live racing will be featured on Mondays, Wednesday & Fridays with a post time of 6:30pm. Major race dates include Industry Day on August 2nd (special post time of 12:30pm), Ontario Sires Stakes on July 16th, 19th, 28th, August 2nd & 25th and September 13th & the Prospect Series Finals on September 24th. An addition to our wagering profile is the 20 cent Pick 5 beginning in Race 1. If no one has correctly selected all 5 winners, the entire pool is carried over to the next Pick 5 with a guaranteed pool of $2,500.
Friday’s race card boasts a total in $63,900 in purse money with a total of 91 horses drawn to race. The $8,200 conditioned pace slated for race 10 is the featured event of the night. With Sauble Attack entering from a three-race win streak from post position six. Last season’s top 3 leading drivers, Scott Coulter, Colin Kelly and Brett MacDonald, each have strong line ups as they begin the battle for leading driver.
For those watching and listening online there will be a new voice providing handicapping commentary. “We are so pleased to welcome Robert Reid Jr.,” shares Jamie Martin, Director of Operations at Grand River Raceway, “Robert’s depth of knowledge and passion for the Industry is a great asset to our team.”
Robert has been involved in horse racing his entire life, spending much of his youth at Greenwood Raceway and other tracks across Ontario. He bought his first horse when he was 16 and has owned many standardbred horses including the likes of Kentucky Briar and Ghost Hunter. Robert has also worked in the operational side of the business by managing the HPIbet Support Centre for Woodbine Entertainment and is currently the author of the Horseplayers’ Journal at Mohawk Park. His passion for harness racing can be seen in everything that he does and he has been a huge fan/supporter of Grand River Raceway since its inception. One of his favorite summer outings is to attend Industry Day with his wife Megan and son Robbie. Robert is thrilled to be joining the team here and cannot wait to get started by providing valuable insights on each and every race card.
In addition to Robert’s expert advice, Ontario Racing will provide a pro handicapper who will make selections for each race.
Although disappointed that fans aren’t able to watch the Season opener in person, the team at Grand River Raceway looks forward to Step 2 of the Road Map to Re-opening plan, in which live racing with spectators is permissible, estimated for the beginning of July.
In December 2020, The Grand River Agricultural Society, who owns and operates Grand River Raceway, completed construction of the new GrandWay Event Centre. The expansion of the existing building (formerly known as The Lighthouse & Paddock) includes a large banquet hall, smaller meeting spaces, a new and improved kitchen, Simulcast Lounge and large outdoor patio overlooking the racetrack.
