This Thursday (January 25) is the deadline to purchase tickets for the 2017 O’Brien Awards. Tickets are $200, and can be purchased by contacting SC’s industry marketing department at 905-858-3060.

Canada’s harness racing champions will be honoured at the O’Brien Awards Black Tie Gala on Saturday, February 3, 2018 at the Hilton Mississauga / Meadowvale Hotel in Mississauga, Ont.

This year’s gala will feature an Academy Awards theme and will kick off at 5:30 p.m. with a cocktail reception sponsored by the Central Ontario Standardbred Association in the Graydon Hall Foyer. During cocktails, Grand River Raceway’s marketing guru, Kelly Spencer, will be greeting and chatting with guests on the red carpet. There will be a silent auction taking place during cocktails and complimentary portraits will be available, courtesy of On Track Media and Entertainment.

At 6:45 p.m. dinner will get underway with a delectable four-course gourmet meal prepared by the Hilton’s Award winning chef, Robert Davey, including complimentary wine, sponsored by Woodbine Entertainment.

Ken Middleton and Jason Portuondo will host the formal part of the O’Brien Awards Gala. Presentations for the Media Excellence Awards, sponsored by Ontario Racing, will take place during dinner and James MacDonald will be recognized for his 2017 World Driving Championship title.

From 9 – 10 p.m., the presentations will continue, starting with the Outstanding Groom Award, sponsored by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation. Following that, the coveted O’Brien bronzes and a Horse of the Year trophy will be presented to the winners in 18 categories.

To take a look at this year’s finalists, click here.

Following dinner, guests will be able to dance the night away to the music of the Marc Joseph Band, a Toronto-based band that performs almost 200 shows annually. They are currently writing/recording new original material for their second album, while rising to the top of the cover band scene in the Greater Toronto Area.