Grand River Raceway’s 27th annual Industry Day horse racing celebration is set for this coming Monday afternoon (August 7) with a powerful race card and fun activities for all ages.

Festivities and the TV broadcast will kick off at 1:00 p.m. on August 7. Post time for the first dash is 1:30 p.m.

The event showcases 11 races worth a total of $460,000 in purses, featuring Grand River Raceway’s biggest dash of the season, the 20th annual Battle of Waterloo. The $200,200 race will be contested by nine Ontario-sired two-year-old pacing colts in Race 11.

Burning Midnight is the early favourite in the race. The pacer left from Post 7 and endured a tough, first-over trip in Monday’s elimination race to finish third. He drew the rail (PP1) in the final for driver Trevor Henry and trainer Corey Giles. Both are looking for their first-ever wins in this race. Post 1 has produced a record four Battle of Waterloo winners.

Trainer David Menary has two starters in the race. Lucky Sport (PP9, with driver Jody Jamieson) and Avalon Hanover (PP5, with driver Bob McClure) were both winners in their respective elimination divisions. Menary is a two-time winner of this race. Jamieson has driven three Battle of Waterloo winners. Local driver Bob McClure (of Elora, Ont.) is the current dash-winning driver both in Canada and at Grand River Raceway. He’s seeking his first Battle of Waterloo title.

Stock drew the outside post (PP8) in the final. Sylvain Filion drove the Dany Fontaine trainee to a new career mark of 1:54.2 in Monday’s second elimination. The clocking set a new Canadian season record for freshmen pacing colts over a half-mile track (the time was matched by Avalon Hanover in the next division). Stock is a perfect three-for-three in his budding career.

The ninth annual Battle of the Belles will be contested for $139,250 in Race 10. The stunning black filly Azure Seelster is likely to be the bettors’ top pick after an impressive 1:54.3 win in her elimination race. With Sylvain Filion in the bike, she set a new Canadian season record and was just one-fifth of a second shy of the track record for two-year-old pacing fillies. Azure Seelster is trained by Jacques Dupont and will start from the rail (PP1).

Sudden Passing was the runner-up to Azure Seelster. ‘Team McNair’ is hoping for a reverse finish on Industry Day, as they chase their fourth Battle of Waterloo victory. Trained by Gregg McNair and driven by son Doug McNair, Sudden Passing went off-stride at the start of the race, but recouped quickly. She will start from Post 3 on Monday afternoon.

Play The Bell won the second elimination division, granting trainer Casie Coleman a shot at her first Battle of the Belles title. She’ll start from the middle of the pack (PP5) in the final, but had to rally hard from the outside (PP8) in her elimination race. Bob McClure will steer the filly in pursuit of his first Battle of the Belles win.

The Industry Day undercard also includes three divisions of three-year-old pacing colts in the Grassroots series of the Ontario Sires Stakes; a Commemorative Mile to celebrate 250 years of horse racing in Canada; a memorial race for former Grand River Raceway Simulcast Manager Yvon Giguere.

As always, Industry Day offers many other delights:

• All-Access Kids’ Pass is available onsite for $5 and includes face painting, balloon artists, bouncy castles, pony rides and a petting zoo (1:00 – 4:30 p.m.).

• Enter to win one of 12 prizes valued at more than $3,000 including a $250 wager for the Battle of Waterloo, designer purses and watches and a Kid Trax Dodge Viper.

• Enter to win a $500 credit towards the purchase of a share of a racehorse with thestable.ca, complements of HPIbet.

• Free flip-flops complements of Ontario Racing.

• Pick The Winner contest for the Battle of Waterloo, presented by Standardbred Canada. The winner receives a $50 I Love Canadian Harness Racing prize pack.

• Meet ‘N Greet with Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society ambassador Ruff Me Up (1:00 – 3:00 p.m.).

• Half-Time Show (after Race #5) featuring prize tosses and the 13th annual Drivers’ Edition of the Bouncy Pony Stakes.

• ‘Good Luck’ banner for guests to sign, wishing driver James MacDonald best wishes as he represents Canada in the upcoming World Driving Championship. Standardbred Canada will present MacDonald with the banner following Race 8.

• Best of Show competition presented by the Ontario Harness Horse Association. Fifteen cash prizes totaling $1,500 are awarded to the caretakers of horses racing on Industry Day.

Greg Blanchard from The Raceway at Western Fair District and Mark McKelvie from the Woodbine Entertainment Group return to provide commentary for the broadcast which will kick off at 1:00 p.m.

• Complete event details
• Industry Day Race Program
• Live streaming video (starts at 1:00 p.m. EST on Aug. 7)

The event hashtag is #industryday27

(Grand River Raceway)