Grand River Raceway and the Ontario Sires Stakes program will pay homage to Run The Table during the OSS Grassroots Championships on Saturday, September 29. The event features eight $100,000 division finals in the Grassroots Series of the OSS program.
The prolific stallion passed away on September 15 at the age of 28. ‘Run The Table Remembered’ includes a trophy cooler presentation for Race 6 and a tribute video during the broadcast which details his vast contributions to Ontario harness racing.
Run The Table was a world champion racehorse. He retired from the track with 20 wins and $1.2 million in career purse earnings. He was purchased at the end of his four-year-old year by the McNivens of Killean Acres of Ingersoll, Ont. and quickly proved to be a formidable stallion that would have a major impact on Canadian harness racing in the following years.
He fathered more than 1,450 foals who have earned more than $95 million on the racetrack, including 22 winners of $500,000 or more and 300 winners of $100,000 of more.
Retired from stud duty in 2004, he was a great ambassador for the sport, touring tracks for the Ontario Sires Stakes’ promotion efforts, meeting fans and posing for thousands of photos.
He was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall Of Fame in 2006. At the posh, black-tie ceremony in Mississauga, Ont., the McNiven brothers actually led Run The Table into the ceremony and past 300 guests to accept his Hall Of Fame ring. The stallion handled the unorthodox adventure with his usual grace and panache.
He celebrated his 25th birthday during Grand River Raceway’s 2009 Industry Day event. Nearly 500 people --- and the birthday boy himself --- ate cake to commemorate the occasion.
Run The Table lived out the rest of his days at Killean Acres in Ingersoll, Ont., where he was lovingly cared for by his owners Don & Jack McNiven, until his passing earlier this month.
Post time for Race 1 on September 29 is 7:05 p.m.
(Grand River Raceway)