Final Battle Watch Report

Grand River Raceway’s Industry Day Celebration is just around the corner, and the track has released the final weekly report tracking some of the standout Ontario-sired freshman colts and fillies eligible to start in next week’s July 30 eliminations for the event’s feature races.

The Battle of Waterloo is the marquee dash of Industry Day. There are 158 pacing colts still eligible for the elimination rounds. The top nine finishers will advance to the 15th annual race which will be contested for $300,000.

It’s hard to go against the talented Mach Three colt Mach Pride who won again in an eye-catching mile of 1:52.3 at Rideau Carleton in the Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) Gold Final on July 22. The win boosts his season earnings to $126,000 for owner Gerald Mijal and trainer Louie Eftimiadis.

Also deserving recognition for a job well done is Windsong Jack, a speedy off-spring of Santanna Blue Chip, out of Milliondollarsmile ($450,000, 1:50.2 and winner of the 2007 Canadian Breeders Championship). This colt started from post seven in the $130,000 OSS Gold Final at Rideau Carleton on July 22. Driven by Scott Zeron, he left hard and let the eventual winner go and tracked him the entire mile, where he tried to close in but could only get to within half a length. Windsong Jack paced his own mile in 1:52.3 with a zinger last quarter of :28.2. A $48,000 yearling purchase, he has earned more than $50,000 in three starts for Larry Menary, Kenneth Ewen, Denis Breton and Geoffrey Lyons. He’s conditioned by 2010 Battle Of Waterloo winning trainer Dave Menary.

Grand River Raceway’s fourth edition of the $150,000 Battle Of The Belles has 167 eligible pacing fillies.

Tony O’Sullivan’s star pupil, Love Canal leads the pack. The Badlands Hanover miss is three-for-three in her early career, with a lofty $100,000 already banked. With Jody Jamieson in the bike, she accelerated with a swift last quarter, and passed all of her competition to win the Whenuwishuponastar Stake at Mohawk Racetrack on July 23. The rookie filly is owned by Let It Ride, Robert Cooper and J and T Silva Stables.

Another notable filly who looks to be a serious contender is Regal Magic, a Stonebridge Regal daughther out of Remember The Magic. She is trained and driven by Lyle MacArthur, and is a homebred of Ann Shunock. In just three starts, she has always been a contender with her most recent showing a commendable win over Woodstock Raceway in an OSS Grassroots division on July 20. With her quick gate speed she gets herself well spotted in the race, demonstrating she likes the half mile surface, and will be well suited for Grand River Raceway.

To view both Battle Watch reports in their entirety, click here.

Grand River Raceway’s 22nd annual Industry Day Celebration is an afternoon event (first-race post time 1:30 p.m.) on the Civic Holiday Monday (August 6).

Eliminations will be drawn July 26 and contested July 30 (post time 7:05 p.m.).

(GRR)