Nine years after the inaugural Vic Hayter Memorial Trot was held at Clinton Raceway in 2016, the memory of the Stratford, Ont. hotelier continues to be honoured by family and friends in a way that would be sure to make the late Vic Hayter proud. 

Although his career in the hospitality industry was demanding, and owning both the Arden Park Hotel and Festival Inn in Stratford took up the majority of his waking hours, Hayter always made time to take the trip down highway 8 on Sunday afternoons.

“He’d be home at 12:30 p.m. to pick up my mother and they’d go to Clinton Raceway,” Hayter’s son, Greg, said when the race debuted in 2016. “Even as kids, living in Lucan, Sundays were always spent at the track.”  

Involvement in the industry, spanning over 38 years, and a love for all animals is what led the family to create the memorial trot. Rather than simply hosting a race in his honour, the Hayter family knew that creating an entire day based around the memory of Vic was a more fitting way to celebrate his memory. Incorporating a fundraiser was a must and over the past eight events more than $30,000 has been raised for various charities. 

From its conception in 2016, the Stratford Perth Humane Society has participated each year and will once again be trackside for the event on Sunday, July 21 at Clinton Raceway. Raffle tickets are available for $5 each and feature three great prizes. The prizes are a theatre package (two matinee tickets for Something Rotten! at Stratford Festival, one nights accommodation at the Best Western/Arden Park with dinner and breakfast); a London shopping trip ($100 gift card for White Oaks Mall and one-night stay at the Four Points Sheraton including dinner and breakfast); and two tickets to see country music star Sam Hunt at Budweiser Gardens in London on Sept. 28. 

In addition to his love for the animals, Hayter had a huge appreciation for the caretakers of the horses.

“He just loved to be in the backstretch, loved to talk to the drivers, the trainers and the grooms. He was a real people person that way and loved to have conversations. I think that’s where the recognition of the caretakers comes from,” recalled Greg.

Because of this appreciation, the Hayter family is once again providing lunch for the caretakers in the backstretch during the event.

The 2023 edition of the invitational trot was claimed by two-time winner Sizzlen Hot Herbie (pictured above) for owner/trainer Natasha Day and driven by Daniel Clements in 2:00.2. The track record for aged trotting mares was set during the event in 2022 by Power And Grace in a time of 1:58.

Post time for Sunday's 10-race card is set for 1:30 p.m., with the ninth annual Vic Hayter Memorial Trot capping off the day.

Race fans of all ages are invited to enjoy the Little Tracks Petting Zoo from 1-4 p.m., the Young Gunz miniature horse race with meet and greet and to stay following the races for a beef on a bun dinner. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased by contacting Clinton Raceway.

The field for the Hayter Memorial will be drawn on Wednesday, July 17. Click here to view Sunday's conditions.

(Clinton Raceway)