Grand River Raceway’s half-mile oval was a battlefield for some of the province’s finest freshmen Monday evening as eliminations for this year’s Battle Of The Belles and Battle Of Waterloo were contested.

The finals for both events will be conducted during Grand River Raceway’s Industry Day matinee program which is set for Monday, August 5.

Battle Of The Belles - $10,000 eliminations

Lady Shadow turned a second-over trip into a 1:57.3 tally in the first elimination for Team McNair. Trained by Gregg McNair and driven by Doug McNair, the daughter of Shadow Play-Lady Camella tracked Savhorsrideacowboy in the middle stages of the mile before vaulting off the cover and using a :29.3 closing quarter to win by 2-3/4 lengths over Arrivista Hanover. Justabit Mean was third.

Sent off as the 4-5 choice, Lady Shadow improved her rookie record to 3-0-0 in four starts for owners Lindsey & Connie Rankin of Lexington, Michigan. The $19,000 purchase from last year’s Forest City Yearling Sale has stashed away $56,500 to date.

Momara gave Team McNair back-to-back elimination wins thanks to her 1:57.2 triumph in the very next race. The daughter of Lis Mara-Mosaic rushed to the lead from Post 8 and successfully chopped out splits of :28.3, :58.4 and 1:28 en route to posting the win by three-quarters of a length over Yoselin Seelster. Third prize went to Slick Rumor.

Len Gamble, Don Mac Donald, David Kryway and Gregg McNair own the homebred who won for the third time in four lifetime starts. No worse than second in those four assignments, the youngster has now banked $22,356.

Catalea Seelster survived a tough, first-over trip to win the final elimination for the fillies in a time of 1:56.4. Brad Forward guided the Ron Adams pupil to the victory by a quarter of a length over Can Art. Regil Meg rounded out the top three finishers.

Sent off at odds of 5-2, the daughter of Stonebridge Regal-Cmon Mama Cass won for the first time in her career for owner James Boucher, Jr. of Windsor, ON. The filly, who was a $3,500 purchase from last year’s Forest City Yearling Sale, has banked $8,214 to date.

Here's the field for the final:

$75,400 Battle Of The Belles
1. Slick Rumor
2. Arrivista Hanover
3. Catalea Seelster
4. Lady Shadow
5. Can Art
6. Yoselin Seelster
7. Regil Meg
8. Momara
9. Justabit Mean

Battle Of Waterloo - $12,500 eliminations

Cluster Hanover turned a two-hole trip from Post 8 into a one-length score in the first elimination. Jody Jamieson tracked tempo setter Pop Pop Joe through fractions of :27.2, :57 and 1:26.3 before tracking down that foe in the closing quarter. The Jack Darling-trained Cluster Hanover’s :29-second closing panel was more than enough to defeat race favourite P L Hellcat, with Pop Pop Joe fading to finish third.

Jack Darling Stables Ltd of Cambridge, ON owns the son of Badlands Hanover-Clouding Over who won for the first time in his career. The gelding sports a 1-2-1 record from five trips to the track and the winning payday lifted his earnings to $46,975.

Arthur Blue Chip was sent off as an overwhelming favourite in the second elimination, and he didn’t disappoint his army of backers. Jody Jamieson had the Dr. Ian Moore pupil parked past the quarter pole in :27.4 before the colt was able to find the lead. Once he cleared it was game over as he sped through middle splits of :57.2 and 1:26.2 before using a :28.4 kicker to win by 2-3/4 lengths over OK Gladiator. Rather Swell rallied late to finish third.

The 1-2 choice, who is owned by the Shadow One Stable of Guelph, ON, improved his record to 3-0-0 from just four trips postward. Purchased for $135,000 from last year’s Harrisburg Yearling Sale, Arthur Blue Chip has stashed away $115,000 to date.

Steady Warrior, who was supplemented to this year’s Battle of Waterloo for $12,500, went wire-to-wire in his assignment for driver Sylvain Filion. The son of Royal Mattjesty-Latin Liftoff cruised through fractions of :27.1, :57 and 1:26.3 before using a :29.4 closing quarter to halt the teletimer in 1:56.2. Sent off as the 3-5 favourite, he defeated Allstar Seelster and Rural Art.

Trainer Wayne McGean co-owns the colt with Michael Gouthro. The partners from Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia watched the youngster pick up his first career victory from five trips to the track. He now owns a 1-2-1 record and a bankroll that stands at $66,300.

Three Of Clubs overcame a Post 8 start to capture the final elimination for the father/son duo of trainer Gregg McNair and driver Doug McNair. The son of Mach Three-CC Kloe powered to the lead and carved out fractions of :27.4, :57 and 1:26 before using his :29.1 kicked to stop the clock in 1:55.1. Sword Ofthe Spirit was second, with Shadowbriand taking home third prize.

The victory was the second in four starts for the colt who is owned by Gregg McNair, Tony Lawrence and Shady Hill Racing Stable. The $25,000 purchase from last year’s Forest City Yearling Sale has now banked $34,300 to date.

Here's the field for the final:

$144,500 Battle Of Waterloo
1. Three Of Clubs
2. Steady Warrior
3. Pop Pop Joe
4. Allstar Seelster
5. OK Gladiator
6. Cluster Hanover
7. Arthur Blue Chip
8. Sword Ofthe Spirit
9. P L Hellcat

To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Grand River Raceway.