Fans at Dresden Raceway will notice a new face, along with a veteran voice, when they visit the half-mile oval this summer.
Nathan Bain has joined the Dresden team as on-track host and handicapper along with his role as social media co-ordinator. The 16-year-old grade 10 student comes by his love of the game honestly, as his family has been actively involved in the Ontario harness racing industry for some 50 years.
Bain caught the racing bug early on and became even more involved when racing returned to his area in 2013 at Leamington Raceway. He was helping out in the backstretch at the time when he got the opportunity to announce his first race at the tender age of 12, which made him one of the youngest ever to call a harness racing in North America. That stint in the announcer’s booth sparked his interest in getting more involved on the front side.
“After my first call I was motivated to get more experience and find some mentors,” said Bain. “Luckily, I have met some amazing professionals like Shannon Doyle, Gary Guy, Gabe Prewitt and Ayers Ratliff who have given me opportunities behind the mic over the past four years.”
Bain will be providing his selections in the Dresden program each Sunday and will also offer his analysis, interviews and other promotions throughout the card. In addition to those duties, Bain will also oversee the raceway’s Twitter and Facebook pages.
Bain will join veteran track announcer Gary Patterson each week. Patterson, a Thamesville native, attended high school in Dresden and has been the longtime voice of the southwestern Ontario oval, beginning back in 1988. Patterson can relate to Bain, as he himself made his first foray into racing at the age of 12 when he rode is bike 24 kilometres from Thamesville to Dresden to check out the races. He has not looked back since.
“It’s just an amazing industry,” Patterson explained. “So many people work so hard to put on a great card of racing each week at so many different tracks. Harness racing is just as much a family as it is an industry. Everyone looks out for one another and they treat their horses better than they treat themselves.”
Patterson’s career highlights include working several Provincial Cup programs with Marty Adler, getting to call A Worthy Lad’s 28th straight victory at Dresden Raceway, and the opportunity to call a race at Pompano Park in Florida alongside Frank Salive and Roger Huston.
In addition to his announcing duties, Patterson handles much of Dresden Raceway’s advertising and promotional work, including his popular ‘bombs from the booth’ each Sunday where he tosses raceway t-shirts to the crowd from high atop in the announcer’s booth.
Fans are reminded that live racing will return to Dresden this Sunday afternoon (June 10) at 1:30 p.m. The Little Saratoga Dresden Cup will be featured, along with the opening leg of the second annual Mark Austin Memorial Pacing Series.
Dresden races are now available for online wagering through HPI bet. Free programs and free live streaming video are available at dresdenraceway.ca.
(Dresden Raceway)