A celebration for the 150th birthday of Canada and the 250th Anniversary of Horse Racing in the nation will take place on Saturday evening at Mohawk Racetrack.
Fans will want to arrive at Mohawk ahead of the 7:30 p.m. first-post on Canada Day to take in several festivities planned for the holiday.
To celebrate Canada Day, Danielle Falls will be singing “O Canada” at approximately 7:10 p.m.
Following the national anthem, Mohawk’s parade marshal Joanne Colville and her horse will take to the track along with Jim McKague of Wroxeter, Ontario and his 13-year-old Standardbred mare, A Promise Made, to perform a commemorative mile.
A Promise Made and McKague will be using a high wheel sulky owned by John Fullerton of Paisley, Ontario. The antique sulky was created by Charles Caffrey of New Jersey in 1885.
Although unraced, A Promise Made has excelled in the show ring where she is known as “Girl Crush”. The 13-year-old mare won the Green Roadster to Bike Championship at The Royal Agriculture Winter Fair and was the Reserve Canadian Champion Road Horse to Bike in both 2015 and 2016.
Owned by McKague and his daughter, Jan McKague Weishar of Teeswater, A Promise Made had five foals prior to her show career, including current three-year-old trotting filly and Ontario Sires Stakes competitor Northern Oath.
During the commemorative mile, a special video recognizing 250 years of Horse Racing in Canada will be shown.
Live harness racing will get underway at 7:30 p.m. and the evening’s third-race, the $34,000 Preferred, will be the 250th Anniversary of Horse Racing pace. A special presentation will be made to the winner’s circle following the race.
Saturday’s card also includes three Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) Gold Divisions for sophomore pacing colts and geldings. Ontario Racing/OSS will be giving away red velvet Canada Day cupcakes after the second-race by the bottom of the main escalators.
Mohawk will also have a special Canada Day cake for customers to enjoy upon arrival and small Canadian flags will also be handed out.
(With files from WEG)