This coming Monday night (July 25), a total of 16 colts and 20 fillies will vie for a spot on the centre stage of Grand River Raceway’s marquee event, Industry Day.

While the 26th edition of the horse racing industry celebration is on August 1, finalists in the $139,500 Battle of Waterloo and $92,800 Battle of the Belles will be decided this coming Monday night, as the Elora, Ont. track will host a total of five elimination rounds.

BATTLE OF WATERLOO

Two elimination divisions of the Battle of Waterloo (for Ontario-sired two-year-old pacing colts) have been carded as Race 4 and Race 8. The top four finishers from each elimination, plus one of the two fifth-place finishers (as determined by draw), will advance to the final of the 19th annual Battle of Waterloo, which will be raced on August 1.

Past Battle of Waterloo-winning trainers Ian Moore, Bob McIntosh, and Gregg McNair have one hopeful in each of the two divisions.

Trainer Blake MacIntosh also has two contenders – Brave World, from Post 7 in Race 4; and Sports Column, in Race 8. Sports Column, who is a Sportswriter colt, holds the current North American season’s record for his division, via his 1:52.1 maiden win over Mohawk Racetrack on July 4. On July 16, he was second by a neck to Happy Trio, who will start to his left (from Post 1), in the ‘Battle’ elim.

Happy Trio won the aforementioned Ontario Sires Stakes Gold division at Mohawk in 1:53.2, which bumped his career earnings to $79,870 after three starts. He is conditioned by trainer Tony O’Sullivan, who also campaigns the outside starter in the first elim, Calvin K, who was a North American season’s record-setter earlier this year, courtesy of a 1:52.3 triumph – in his second career win – on July 4 at Mohawk Racetrack.

Silverinyourpocket (Race 4, Post Position 3) is the morning line favourite in the first elimination for Canada’s leading money-winning trainer, Richard Moreau, of Puslinch, Ont. The Badlands Hanover colt is fresh off a 1:53.3 win in OSS Grassroots action at Mohawk Racetrack with driver Sylvain Filion.

Although he will enter Race 8 with less experience than the competition, Dreamfair B J set a Canadian season’s record for a freshman colt over a half-mile track when he won his lone qualifying race at Grand River Raceway on July 13 for trainer Patrick Fletcher and driver Phil Hudon. Dreamfair B J is bred and owned by John Lamers, who won the 2001 edition of the Battle of Waterloo with Dreamfair Vogel.

BATTLE OF THE BELLES

Three eliminations for the Battle of the Belles (for Ontario-sired two-year-old pacing fillies) have been carded as Race 1, Race 2 and Race 6. The top three finishers from each division will advance to the final of the eighth annual Battle of the Belles, which will also be raced on August 1.

Past Battle of the Belles-winning trainers Gregg McNair and Stephen Gillard each have one campaigner in Monday’s elims.

Eddie Green has a pair of hopefuls, including Canadian season record-holder Warrawee Speedy. Her maiden win in 1:57.1 over Hiawatha Horse Park on June 18 remains the quickest of the season over a five-eighths oval. She will start from the rail in the third elim (Race 6) with Green in the bike.

Village Jamie will start from Post 4 in the second division for Green. The Mach Three miss is a half-sister to the 2010 Battle of the Belles champ, Village Janus.

Mike Weller trains the 8-5 morning line favourite in the first elim, Aint Three OK. The daughter of Mach Three was scratched ‘sick’ in last week’s OSS Gold at Mohawk Racetrack. She was second by a neck two weeks before, with Trevor Henry, who will pilot her from Post 5 on Monday.

POST POSITION DRAW

Starting positions for the finals of the Battle of Waterloo and Battle of the Belles will be determined during a post position draw, which will be conducted and broadcast live following Race 9 on July 25.

Grand River Raceway’s Industry Day Celebration on August 1 will feature an 11-race card, which will also include Racing Under Saddle, consolation races for the ‘Battles,’ and a Gold leg for three-year-old pacing fillies in the Ontario Sires Stakes. Festivities and the TV broadcast will kick off at 1:00 p.m. Post time for the first race is 1:30 p.m.

For complete event details, click here.

Post time for Race 1 of Monday’s elimination races is 6:35 p.m.

To view the harness racing entries for Monday at Grand River, click the following link: Monday Entries – Grand River Raceway.

(Grand River Raceway)