Grand River Raceway’s Industry Day Celebration is just around the corner, and the event esteems to be one of the best days of the summer for harness racing fans.

Festivities and the TV broadcast will kick off at 1 p.m. on Monday, August 4. Post time for the first dash is 1:30 p.m.

The 24th annual event includes an 11-race card that will offer more than $350,000 in purses. The main feature of the day is Grand River Raceway’s signature dash, the 17th annual Battle of Waterloo. There are 159 Ontario-sired two-year-old pacing colts eligible to start in the $180,000 (estimated) dash.

The sixth annual Battle of the Belles will be contested for $120,000 (estimated) and 150 Ontario-sired two-year-old pacing fillies remain eligible.

The nine finalists for each of those races will be determined during eliminations contested a week prior (July 28, post time 6:30 p.m.). Post position draws for both finals will be conducted during the TV broadcast on July 28.

Among the eligibles is Ace Of Clubs, a half-brother to 2013 Battle of Waterloo champ Three Of Clubs. Trainer Gregg McNair of Guelph, Ont. co-owns both horses with Tony Lawrence and Hall of Famer Keith Waples.

Rounding out the Industry Day race card are consolation races for the ‘Battles,’ plus an Ontario Sires Stakes Gold leg for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings.

During the afternoon event, Grand River Raceway and the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame will salute the track’s general manager, Dr. Ted Clarke, who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on August 6.

As always, Industry Day offers many other horse racing delights:

• RUS Ontario will feature back-to-back racing under saddle events, beginning with a Canada vs. Norway race on Friday, August 1. On Industry Day, it’s the RUS International, featuring riders from several different countries.

• Fans are invited to meet Paula Seelster and her Badlands Hanover youngster from 1 – 3 p.m. and submit their best entries for the ‘Name The Foal’ contest to win a family dinner outing at Grand River Raceway. Grand River Raceway will donate $1 to the Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society for each name submission.

• Standardbred Canada’s ‘I Love Canadian Harness Racing’ Fan Club will be on-hand with the Wheel Of Fame and Fan Club merchandise.

• The tenth annual Drivers’ Edition of the Bouncy Pony Stakes.

• An All-Access Kid’s Pass is available onsite for $5 and includes face painting, balloon artists, bouncy castles, and pony rides (1 – 5 p.m.).

• Online Handicapping Challenge, presented by Standardbred Canada’s I Love Canadian Harness Racing Fan Club (starting August 1).

• $500 Cheerleading Squads: $250 awarded to each cheerleader representing the winning horse in the Battle Of The Belles and Battle Of Waterloo.

• HorsePlayer Interactive (HPI) is offering the chance to win a $500 deposit for those who wager $50 or more on the 2014 Industry Day card through their HPI account.

For complete event details, visit industrydaycelebration.com.

(GRR)