Kawartha Downs will host its richest night of racing for the 2016 season this Saturday night (August 13) when the three-year-old pacing colts will face off in six $18,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots races.

There are a total of 11 races on the program, with total purses of $126,800, which far exceeds a regular card at the Fraserville, Ont. oval. Kawartha fans will have the opportunity to see some new drivers on track, as well. One of Ontario’s most successful drivers of all time, Mike Saftic, who is closing in on $100 million in lifetime purses, will be driving in nine of the races. Alfie Carroll, Bob McClure and Billy Davis Jr. will also be on hand, while KD regulars Gord Brown, Reg Gassien and Tony Kerwood have all picked up OSS mounts.

Many of the sport’s top trainers, including Bob McIntosh, Jack Darling, Mark Steacy, Casie Coleman, Richard ‘Nifty’ Norman, Dustin Jones, Ben Wallace, Blake MacIntosh, Dr. Ian Moore and Scott McEneny will also be represented on Saturday night. Kawartha regulars Murray Brethour and Dave Gibson have colts entered. The latter will start Lock N Reload in Race 8. It will be the first OSS start for the Bettors Delight colt who comes into the contest off three straight wins at Kawartha.

Darling conditions the top two colts in this division in terms of points amassed to date. Continual Hanover, who leads with 112 points, has drawn post six in the ninth race with Saftic at the controls. The Bettors Delight colt is the fifth foal of $380,000 winner Current Hanover.

Darling, Canada’s Trainer of the Year in 1996, also sends out St Lads Moonwalk who is sitting second with 100 points in this group. The full brother to $562,000 winner Machal Jackson, Moonwalk is 5-3-1 in 10 starts this year.

St Lads Moonwalk will start from Post 5 in Race 7, which is the OSS contest race. Fans select a horse in that race and enter the coupon from their program in his ballot box. Prior to the start of the race, a name will be pulled for each horse. Those finalists will receive some OSS swag along with a $5 win, place and show bet on their horse.

The person who selected the winning horse will receive a trophy, an official Ontario Sires Stakes jacket, OSS shirt and will have the opportunity to get their picture taken with the winning horse and receive the photograph as a memento of the event as well as a $50 betting voucher.

In addition, OSS t-shirts and hats will be given away throughout the evening. As always, the kids’ activity room will be open on race night. In addition to OSS activity books and crayons, kids can enjoy games, air hockey, drinks and snacks. First-race post time is 7 p.m. The evening’s program is available for download here.

To view the harness racing entries for Saturday at KD, click the following link: Saturday Entries – Kawartha Downs.

(Kawartha Downs)