Years after the passing of Vic Hayter, his son Greg remains dedicated to keeping his father's legacy alive. This Sunday, July 20 marks the 10th running of the $12,000 Vic Hayter Memorial Invitational Trot at Clinton Raceway -- an event Greg describes as a heartfelt tribute and a way of giving back.
“I’m committed to this because, in my heart, I don’t want his memory to fade,” said Greg Hayter. “He was larger than life -- everyone knew him. I understand that, as time goes on and the people who knew him pass away, his memory may fade for many. But in my own way, I want to honour who he was. Going to Clinton Raceway was something he genuinely loved. You can host a golf tournament or a poker night in someone’s name, but that wasn’t who he was. This race is him.”
Vic Hayter, who passed away from cancer in February 2016 at the age of 77, was well-known for his hotel ventures -- most notably The Arden Park Hotel and Festival Inn in Stratford, Ont. (now the Best Western Plus The Arden Park Hotel). Though his hotel business demanded much of his time, Hayter maintained a deep connection to horse racing, owning Standardbreds for nearly four decades and regularly attending Clinton Raceway.
Clinton Raceway general manager Ian Fleming praised the Hayter family’s ongoing involvement, noting that they not only organize the Vic Hayter Memorial but also provide meals for all horsepeople in the backstretch and have donated funds to boost the purses on the day's card by 10 per cent.
“Hayter Day is one of the highlights of the year for horsepeople,” said Fleming. “It’s truly centered around them.”
“It’s our way of showing appreciation,” added Greg Hayter.
This year's Vic Hayter Memorial is scheduled as Sunday's eighth race and features a field of seven with R Royal Port being the 9-5 morning line favourite and handicapped with the outside post with Daryl Thiessen listed to drive for trainer Gerard Demers and owner La Feme Tag Inc. of Papineauville, Que. The six-year-old Archangel-World Class Izzy gelding has won five of his 11 starts this season, including back-to-back wins in Preferred competition in his last two outings at Rideau Carleton Raceway and Grand River Raceway.
The complete field is listed below, with post positions six and seven assigned.
$12,000 Vic Hayter Memorial Invitational Trot
Post - Horse - Driver - Trainer - Morning Line Odds
1. Allstar Goldi - Lorne House- Steve Watson - 8-1
2. Mercutio - Travis Henry - Shane Arsenault - 6-1
3. Made Of Magic - Dean Wall - Dean Wall - 10-1
4. Cool Clifford - Nick Steward - Gabriella Sasso - 3-1
5. Goober Smack - Paul MacKenzie - Susie Kerwood - 4-1
6. Johnny Buckshot - Tyler Borth - Katie MacNeil - 2-1
7. R Royal Port - Daryl Thiessen - Gerard Demers - 9-5
Clinton Raceway will also be hosting its popular Wiener Dog races on Sunday, with 17 Dachshunds competing in two heats and a final. After the races, a pork BBQ dinner will be served, with tickets priced at $25. The day also serves as a fundraiser for Adopt-a-Pet Pet Rescue and Out of the Ashes Big Animal Rescue.
Gates open at noon with a post time of 1:30 p.m. for the 10-race card.
To view Sunday's complete harness racing entries, click the following link: Sunday Entries - Clinton Raceway.
(With files from Clinton Raceway)