The final card feature of the 2014 season at Leamington Raceway was named in honour of a former war veteran, blacksmith, and horseman, Frank Reid.
Reid was a race official at Windsor Raceway and Rideau Carleton, and a veteran of the Korean war. He represented what Canada is all about when freedom is threatened around the world. Leamington Raceway honoured the man who passed away in 2013, with the featured Preferred 3 Pace, won by Conflict Diamond ($3.30) in 1:58 flat.
Leaving from the rail, the son of Badlands Hanover-Diamond Jubilee sat gapped in the two-hole behind Stoney Durkin, when driver Alfie Carroll got late stretch action to win by a nose. Owner Larry Johnson of London, Ont. also does the training. Conflict Diamond picked up his ninth win in 26 starts this year and now goes over the $50,000 mark in 2014 earnings.
Rob Sparling Jr. was the driving star of the day, picking up four wins on the 10-race card.
He opened up with a wire-to-wire win aboard Brenway Darbie ($9.00) in 2:01.3 for owner/trainer Mike Hamlin of Essex, Ont. Brenway Darbie has now won three of his last four starts.
Sparlings' next win came in the sixth race with another front end performance aboard Ruthies Pride ($6.50) in 1:58.4 for owner/trainer Jason Libby of Dorchester, Ont. and co-owner Patrick Leblanc of Essex, Ont.
In the eighth, Light Shine In got a two-hole ride behind Jet Black (Donnie Rankin) tipping out in the stretch to win by one and three-quarter lengths in 2:00.3. The son of I am A Fool-Michelles Fury is owned and trained by B J Leon of Maidstone, Ont.
Sparlings' fourth win came in the ninth when he tipped out late in the stretch to win by a head over Albergetty (Tyler Borth) with Brother John ($4.80) for owner/trainer George Robinson of Windsor, Ont. in 1:59.1.
Sparling had two more reasons to celebrate as his lady Karen and their newborn baby Avery made appearances in all four winner's circle pictures -- something to put in the scrapbook for years to come.
The afternoon also saw one of Canada's leading drivers, Doug McNair, stop by for a win aboard Dr. Reg Wesgarths' Taylorlane Fancy ($4.40) in 2:00.2. The eight-year-old Modern Art-Armbro Ocala mare is trained by Gord McDonnell and picked up her seventh win of the year. It was noted that the purse was $2,500, just a couple zeros short of the $250,000 purse won by McNair a couple weeks ago in the Ontario Sires Stakes Super Finals.
The last card of the season saw Leamington punters push through a handle of $23,909.
It's now back to the drawing board for the Lakeshore Horse Racing Association to review the 2014 season and make adjustments for 2015. The leaders of the team include Mark Williams, Dr. Paul Branton, Tom Bain and Wayne Martinuik. Many questions need to be addressed regarding the semantics of racing returning to southwestern Ontario.
"Many thanks must also go out to the volunteers and the 'little people' who helped make this project work," stated a Leamington Raceway news release. "Although the Ontario Racing Commission's demands are great, they have given the horse people a ray of hope that racing in this part of the province is warranted in some shape or form -- thank you ORC and thank you to the fans of racing in Essex and Kent counties."
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Leamington Raceway.
(With files from Leamington Raceway)