Grand River Raceway wrapped up its 2012 season with its final Fun & Frivolity Friday Night card on October 12.

The night’s festivities included a toque giveaway for patrons and race participants, and crowning of the champ of the From Bike To Mic guest announcer series. Carmen Auciello was the winner, nosing out runner-up Jody Jamieson.

The 2012 season saw a total of seven track records, including the 1:56.1 score set by Sugar Wheeler on October 3. The mark was also an Ontario Sires Stakes and all-time Canadian record for three-year-old trotting fillies on a half-mile track.

Trevor Henry maintained an incredible lead in the driving ranks for the entire season, and finished the year with a record 123 wins from 519 starts, good for a UDR of .351 and $769,000 in purse earnings. Henry was also the top dash-winning driver at Clinton Raceway, Hanover Raceway, and Western Fair (through the spring meet) and is currently just a few wins off the lead for Canada’s top dash driver.

Richard Moreau was last year’s top percentage trainer at Grand River Raceway, and now picks up his first dash title with 32 wins from 106 starts, $260,000 in purse earnings and a UTR of .455. His outstanding accomplishments included a five-bagger on August 13. Moreau is currently the leading trainer in all of Canada for wins.

Henry, Moreau and the rest of the top performers of 2012 will be honoured during the first 2013 race card at Grand River.

Grand River Raceway raced 65 days in 2012, versus 69 days in 2011. Wagering on the 2012 season was up four per cent over 2011, when compared on a per-day basis. The 2012 increase included a 16 per cent bump during the track’s Industry Day event on August 6.

Grand River Raceway extends its sincere appreciation to all individuals and organizations which assisted its efforts in 2012, and to its valued patrons for their continued support.

(With files from Grand River Raceway)