The Raceway at Western Fair District will host to its traditional Auld Lang Syne New Year's Eve feature as the track looks forward to honouring its aged horses during this Friday’s 11-dash program.
Three 14-year-old pacers have been given preference to draw the inside posts in the $10,000 event, scheduled as race 10.
The three oldest horses competing in the Auld Lang Syne Pace will be making their final career starts as their mandatory retirement begins on their ‘15th Birthday’ - January 1, 2022.
Ciona Bromach is making his 330th career start for owner, trainer and breeder Debi O’Brien-Moran. She has raced him every single start, over Ontario and south of the border tracks, since 2009. A recent winner of the Seniors Pace in London, Ont., ‘Ciona’ (pronounced Kinna) has a career-best record of 1:51.3, taken as a four-year-old, with 21 wins, 23 seconds and 31 thirds - good for $240,879 earned lifetime. The Raceway wishes congratulations to Debi on a long-lasting racing career with this fella; enjoy this upcoming well-deserved retirement ‘Ciona’!
Lawmen Reign began his racing career in London during the spring of 2010. Bred by Doreen Dustin and Marg Battin, this durable son of Rambaran will make his final career start for the ownership duo of Ross and Marg Battin. Ross has been the listed trainer for every one of his 333 career races and has driven him in more than 300 of those. ‘The Law’ shows up with a mark of 1:55.2, taken on a half-miler as a five-year-old, with 39 wins, 47 seconds and 50 thirds - good for $276,453 banked. Happy trails Lawmen Reign!
Leafs And Wings is another one of those durable sons of Rambaran. Owned and bred by Greg Rogers and conditioned almost every career start by Mike Rogers, Leafs And Wings’ caretaker Ryan Nicodemo refers to this old boy as a warhorse. From 415 career starts, he has a life mark of 1:50.2, taken as a seven-year-old, with 58 wins, 48 seconds and 70 thirds and $566,667 earned lifetime. A fan fave almost everywhere he raced, everyone will be missing him and his familiar ‘late closing kick’ going forward. Enjoy your retirement old boy!
The trotter Rainbow Gold, owned his entire career by Dennis Duford and trained by his daughter Ashley, will lead the post parade for the veteran campaigners. Rainbow Gold, a 14-year-old son of Thunder Road bred by Ashley’s grandmother Mabel Duford (her last bred horse), had 58 wins, 35 seconds and 36 thirds from 255 races - good for $306,839 earned. His 1:55.3 life-best record was taken as a nine-year-old at Pompano Park with Steve Condren driving, and his final career start took place in London on October 18 with Dennis aboard.
Here’s a look at the complete field for the Auld Lang Syne Pace:
$10,000 Auld Lang Syne Pace
Post - Horse - Driver - Trainer - Morning Line Odds
1. Ciona Bromach - Garrett Rooney - Debi Obrienmoran - 5-2
2. Lawmen Reign - Ross Battin - Ross Battin - 3-1
3. Leafs And Wings - Marc St Louis - Michael Rogers - 2-1
4. Another Great Pick - Donald Rankin - Ross Battin - 4-1
5. Derby Dylan - Travis Henry - Cassidy Schneider - 10-1
6. Hidden Potential - Tyler Borth - John Pentland - 6-1
7. Holy Chip - Mark Goddard - Mark Goddard - 12-1
8. Stonebridge Scout - Scott Wray - Robert Mawson - 8-1
To view Friday's harness racing entries, click on the following link: Friday Entries - The Raceway.
(With files from The Raceway)