It was a perfect Saturday night for racing at Hanover Raceway, as the track hosted Ladies Night and the Bring A Friend promotion.
The biggest crowd of the year was on hand, including close to 30 friends who visited Hanover Raceway for the first time and registered for special prizes, including a ride in the starting car as well as gifts from Hanover Raceway and Standardbred Canada.
My Scissors and I and the Flower Shoppe in Hanover donated great prizes for ladies in attendance, including flowers and gift certificates towards hair care, facials and swimwear.
Hanover also held its second qualifying night for its Country 93 Survivor contest. Twenty-one more fans added their name to the finals, which will be held on August 15. The lone survivor in August will win a High Definition TV package courtesy of Country 93 and HDTV in Hanover and Walkerton.
On the track, it was the J Harris night, as the Dundas, Ont. resident won four of the 10 races on the card.
Harris started off the night winning race three with favourite Maritime Girl for owner Russ Gourlie of Orangeville, Ont. The Derick Anderson-trained Maritime Girl got away fifth but narrowed that to third at the half, second at the three-quarters mark and took the lead in the stretch. The fractions were :29.2, 1:00.1, 1:29.1 and the mile was clocked in 1:59.4.
Harris didn't win again until race seven, but then reeled off three wins in a row, including Doo Wee Rusty in race seven in 1:58 for his father Jack Harris, who trains and shares ownership with William Dowhan of Hamilton, Ont.
In race eight, Harris won with favourite Modern Best in a new lifetime-best 1:56.1 for trainer Patrick Shepherd and owner Stephen Morton of Windsor, Nova Scotia, and got the grand slam in race nine with Pictonian Sareta in 1:57, another win for his father and Dowhan.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Hanover Raceway.
(With files from Hanover Raceway)