The Central Ontario Standardbred Association (COSA) is pleased to announce sponsorship of an exciting three-race series of ‘Facebook Live’ broadcasts this season, which will include the $200,000 (Est.) Confederation Cup, $150,000 Camluck Classic and $250,000 (Est.) Battle of Waterloo.
The award-winning Woodbine Entertainment broadcast team produced the one-and-a-half-hour Camluck Classic show in 2018, which was distributed via The Raceway and Woodbine Entertainment’s Facebook pages, as well as Standardbred Canada’s website. CUJO Entertainment will produce this season’s shows at the three host tracks, which include The Raceway, Flamboro Downs and Grand River Raceway.
“The COSA board is pleased to support this new series of shows,” said COSA President Bill O’Donnell. “We host some of North America’s biggest races and feel it’s important to help showcase the best of our product to a worldwide audience. It’s something we hope we can expand on next season.”
The Confederation Cup will kick off the Facebook Live series on Sunday, May 19. The race, which is restricted to four-year-old pacers, has attracted one of the most impressive crops, including a quartet of the leading money-winning three-year-olds from 2018 – Jimmy Freight, Dorsoduro Hanover, Lather Up and Courtly Choice.
The Camluck Classic (formerly the Molson Pace), sponsored by Seelster Farms, is back for its second season on Friday, May 31. Some of the expected starters for this year’s race include this year’s runner-up in the Levy Series, Rodeo Rock, along with Southwind Amazon, himself a son of Camluck, and millionaire Sintra, who holds the track record for three-year-old pacing colts at The Raceway.
The Battle of Waterloo returns in its traditional time slot on Monday, August 5, which is the Civic holiday. The race features many of the best Ontario-sired two-year-old pacers and has been a starting point for several future champions, including the great Somebeachsomewhere.
“It is exciting and tremendously positive to see the expansion of this type of initiative through the partnership of these various organizations,” said The Raceway’s Director of Racing Greg Blanchard. “This is a relatively cost-effective way to reach a new, younger audience while putting the spotlight on our biggest races.”
The three shows will all be available for viewing at each of the track’s Facebook pages as well as Standardbred Canada’s website.
(COSA)