This weekend kicks off the celebration of the Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society’s 25th anniversary at Standardbred racetracks across Ontario.

On Sunday (Aug. 1) Dresden and Clinton Raceways will start the ball rolling with the first OSAS Days at the Races on their matinee cards, which get underway at 1 p.m. and 1:30 p.m., respectively.

Each card will feature a race called the OSAS 25th Anniversary Race, the winners of which will receive a cooler with the special OSAS anniversary logo sponsored by the Central Ontario Standardbred Association. The winners will also receive OSAS swag, including boxes of ambassador cards created especially for the occasion by noted equine artist Michelle Hogan and sponsored by Ontario Racing. The cards feature beautiful portraits of OSAS’s most famous ambassadors: Reverend Hanover, Ruff Me Up, Hiltons Hot Stuff and The Painted Pony.

Established in 1996, OSAS is the official adoption agency for harness horses in Ontario and has found forever homes for more than 1,000 horses since its inception. The dates for the Ontario tracks hosting an OSAS day are as follows:

OSAS 25th Anniversary At The Races

Sunday, Aug. 1: Clinton Raceway and Dresden Raceway
Saturday, Aug. 14: Kawartha Downs
Wednesday, Aug. 18: Grand River Raceway
Sunday, Aug. 22: Leamington Raceway
Tuesday, Aug. 31: Georgian Downs
Saturday, Sept. 4: Hiawatha Horse Park
Saturday, Sept. 18: Hanover Raceway
Thursday, Sept. 30: Flamboro Downs
Friday, Oct. 8: The Raceway at the Western Fair District
Saturday, Oct. 23: Woodbine Mohawk Park
Thursday, Oct. 28: Rideau Carleton Raceway

(OSAS)