Royal Beluga was parked the mile but persevered to victory in the $18,000 Vic Hayter Memorial Invitational Trot on Sunday, July 19 at Clinton Raceway.
Brady Galliers kept the six-hole starter back of the first-turn action, with Like Chaos (Bruce Richardson) on the lead and brushing off Mercutio (Travis Henry) after a brief conflict before the :29.1 quarter. With the rest of the seven-horse field settled into line, Royal Beluga rolled up to race alongside Like Chaos through the half in :59.2 and onto the backstretch. P C Peterbilt (Damian MacLellan) tipped off Galliers’ helmet to join the fray but went on a gallop passing three-quarters in 1:28.2, and the top two went into sprint mode nearing the last turn. Royal Beluga strode clear of the pacesetter on the bend and was under no threat down the stretch as he sailed to a 2-1/4-length victory in 1:57.4. My Buddy Sam (Anthony Haughan) closed to finish in a dead heat for second with Like Chaos.
Royal Beluga tallied his sixth win this season in 23 attempts for trainer Pamela Young, who co-owns the son of Tactical Landing-Tactical Caviar with Daniel Creighton of Strathroy, Ont., Dale Hunter of London, Ont. and Chase Clark of Corunna, Ont. The five-year-old gelding has won 10 of 58 career starts and earned $109,675. He paid $4.90 to win.
The race is named for Vic Hayter, a longtime horse owner and hotelier who was known for his weekly trips to Clinton Raceway and his support for a variety of causes. Family, friends and members of the harness racing community celebrated his memory once again during the 11th edition of the race on Sunday.
What began as a tribute to a respected horseman has grown into a heartfelt annual tradition, bringing together generations of the Hayter family and the local racing community to honour Vic's passion for the sport while supporting a worthy cause. Through the continued dedication of the Hayter family, Vic's legacy continues to make a lasting impact both on and off the racetrack.
The Hayter family continued the event's tradition of giving back by raising funds throughout the day in support of Out of the Ashes Big Animal Rescue, helping provide care and second chances for animals in need.
"The Memorial Trot has always been about more than a horse race," said Greg Hayter. "It's about bringing people together to celebrate dad's love for harness racing, remembering the friendships he made throughout his life, and supporting a cause that reflects the compassion our family values. Seeing everyone come together each year means more than words can express."
Live harness racing returns to the Huron County oval with the feature event of the summer meet, Legends Day and the National Driving Championship, on Sunday, July 26. Gates open at 11 a.m. for the Cowbell Brewing Patio Party. Post time is 1:30 p.m. for the 10-race card.
To view Sunday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Clinton Raceway.
(Standardbred Canada with files from Clinton Raceway)