After a damp start to the 2017 season at Clinton Raceway last Sunday, the sunny skies known to Clinton Raceway fans returned for the second race card.
The fifth race on the program saw Black Jack Killean hit the wire first, and in doing so it registered the 1,000th career training win for Scott McNiven. Driver Travis Henry steered the five-year-old gelding in a gate-to-wire 2:00.4 mile, which in turn resulted in a $13.30 win mutuel. McNiven, the longtime conditioner from Putnam, Ont., trains out of the Dorchester Fair Grounds, and his pupils have raced to more than $8 million in career purse earnings.
Black Jack Killean and connections, pictured in the winner’s circle (Goodfellow Photography)
Members of Racing Under Saddle were trackside on Sunday, as the organization held a fundraiser for its 2017 season. Fans were treated to a BBQ, bake sale, and the winner of the 50/50 draw took home just over $500! The group was able to raise just under the $1,500 mark.
Unfortunately, the race card ended on a sad note, as Jemba Jemba suffered a shattered cannon bone in the final turn of the eighth race. The horse had to be humanely euthanized.
Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the connections of Jemba Jemba.
Next week, the Clinton Spring Fair will move into town, which will result in a break in the harness season. Live racing will resume Sunday, June 11 with a post time of 1:30 p.m. Details can be found at clintonraceway.com
To view the harness racing results for Sunday at Clinton, click the following link: Sunday Results – Clinton Raceway.
(With files from Clinton Raceway)