There’s nothing quite like owning a hard trying, hard closing pacer to get owners revved up about their horses

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“It didn’t take Monster In Law very long to become one of our favourites,” says co-owner Ken Beatson of the four-year-old son of Northern Luck – Family Effort. “When you’ve got one that can finish his miles like a freight train it makes things pretty exciting.”

Monster In Law has drawn Post 3 in Monday afternoon’s 10th race at Western Fair, a conditioned pace for a $10,000 purse. Ken Beatson, 38, is a hobby horseman that grew up just north of London at Granton, ON. His dad, Don, is now 68 and he’s the trainer of the career winner of just over $100,000. Don Beatson has almost 700 lifetime training wins for over $2.2 million in purses.

“Growing up at Granton and being near Western Fair and Lucan, it’s real standardbred country and it was great to be around and literally under the horses since I was three years old. I live in Toronto now and work in the food and confections industry, but on weekends and every chance I get I’ll go and drive horses and get to the races as often as possible,” Ken says. “I’m able to drive Hobbys Hobbit quite a bit. Since Monster In Law races mostly on weekdays I’m quite happy to see that drivers like Alfie Carroll and Jason Brewer do a great job with him.”

Ownership of Monster In Law is shared by the Beatson father and son team with Sandra and Ralph Pitt of Cargill, ON. Ken recalls vividly the highlights of his 2008 campaign in the Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots Series.

“Perhaps his best race in the OSS was at Hanover when he sat last and circled the field,” Ken says. “He was unlucky in the season’s championship when he had a flat tire in the elimination and then huge traffic trouble in the Grassroots final. Our other nice horses in recent years were Dilemma and Enough Noise but they weren’t quite like the ride Monster In Law is giving us. On Monday afternoon in London we’re expecting him to be coming late with his best closing rush again.”

Slots Cup Series Starts In London

The final Friday night program of the current meet at Western Fair on June 26 features the 1st leg of the 2009 Slots Cup Series. The Series is open to Ontario sired pacers, who are 4 years of age and younger and that were non-winners of $75,000 as of February 15, 2009. Western Fair is holding a customer appreciation night in conjunction with the Series which will continue through the $100,000 guaranteed championship final in Sarnia on September 12.

The customer appreciation program will feature nickel french fries with the purchase of a burger or sausage, a draw for a patio set, and triple bonus points for Player Rewards Club members on Western Fair races for the June 26 card.

Five cards remain in the current meet in London. Through June 30, Monday and Tuesday programs are at the starting gate at 3:35 p.m., with the June 26 Slots Cup and Customer Appreciation program turning to the gate at 7:05 p.m.

(WFR)