Santa Claus Preps For Christmas Eve

Before the jolly old elf made his usual rounds delivering toys to all the good girls and boys on Christmas Eve, Santa Claus made an appearance at a harness racing track in Canada on Saturday night.

St. Nick was a last-minute catch-driving fill-in for trainer Harold Haining behind Cenalta Shade in the seventh race Saturday at Northlands Park.

Perhaps not used to the horsepower of a Standardbred and more accustomed to a sleigh with eight tiny reindeer, Santa and Cenalta Shade finished fifth by nine lengths to the appropriately-named Is Santa Real.

There was no word as to whether or not Is Santa Real's trainer Lance Ward asked Kris Kringle if he would guide his mare that night.