On Friday, June 2, Grand River Raceway (GRR) will kick off another exciting season of harness racing. This year, the Elora, Ont. racetrack will be celebrating its 20th race season.

Grand River Raceway will host 48 Standardbred race nights this season, including 18 Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) events, from June through September. Racing takes place every Monday, Wednesday and Friday night with a post time of 6:30 p.m. Click here for the full schedule. 

“We are thrilled to be celebrating our 20th race season here at Grand River,” said Chad Rozema, Raceway Manager. “We are excited to welcome back fans and ready to build on the already strong product with a pumped-up wagering menu."

New for this season is the addition of a second Pick 5 starting in Race 6 and a second Pick 3 offered on the final three races of each card. Pick 3/4/5 wagers along with Double & Super Hi 5 wagers are attractive options for horseplayers as they all offer a low 15 per cent takeout.

GRR will kick off the race season on June 2 with some special treats for race fans. Guests can have dinner and order the opening night meal special featuring a made-in-house smash burger and kettle chips, along with a soft drink for $15 +HST and receive a free 20th race season stein as a keepsake. Those with a sweet tooth can stop by The GrandWay lobby to grab a free cookie provided by Paulas Pastries.

Here’s what fans can expect this summer at GRR: 

Free Family Fun! 
Every night is free entry for all. Need something for the kids to do? GRR's ambassador Tom, along with a variety of mutuel tellers, will be handing out Neighbourhood bags full of fun activities for kids every race night. 

Food Trucks On Friday nights
A delicious fan favourite! A variety of trucks, with lots of great food options to choose from will be at the track most Friday nights.

GrandWay Patio Parties 
Get a group of 12 or more together and enjoy a VIP experience right next to the track. Groups get an intimate horse racing experience in a reserved seating area on The GrandWay Patio. Limited dates available, excludes GRR large event dates. Contact [email protected].

Large Events Happening at GRR:

• June 2 – Opening Night
• June 30 – Canada Day Celebrations (wear red and white!)
• July 14 – Wiener Dog Races
• Aug. 7 – Industry Day, featuring the Battle of Waterloo presented by Winbak Farms
• Aug. 18 – Harness the Hope (dress in pink!)
• Sept. 6 – National Caretaker Appreciation Day at GRR

Please be reminded that GRR and The GrandWay Events Centre are designated as smoke-free. Smoking is not permitted in any and on all exterior public racetrack facing areas including the grandstand, tarmac and patio. 

The Captain’s Quarters is open for first-come, first-serve spectator seating only (with the exception of special events). There will not be an all-you-can-eat buffet in the tiered dining room this year, however, fans can bring food from The GrandWay Lounge or the tarmac BBQ to enjoy. 

GRR is ready to giddy-up and get the race season started. Follow along and keep up with all the fun at grandriverraceway.com. At GRR, you can always come and expect an experience.

To view Friday's harness racing entries, click the following link: Friday Entries - Grand River Raceway.

(With files from Grand River Raceway)