Horse racing season at Georgian Downs is just about to start as fans and trainers are eager to see how the season will unfold. The Innisfil race track will see the official beginning of the live harness stakes today on July 6, as the season starts off with five CA$22,000 Grassroots divisions for two-year-old lasses and three CA$7,200 Prospect Series divisions for the three-year-olds.
Thanks to the Ontario economic restart plan horse races at the province were allowed to return after a two-month pause due to April’s stay-at-home-order. But now Georgian Downs is ready to start its racing season. The program on Tuesday will start off at 7:15 p.m. stakes for two-year-old pacing fillies and it will continue with Grassroots events in Races 2,4,5, and 7.
Exciting Schedule
Trainer Murray Brethour is responsible for three two-year-old pacing fillies that are ready to make their official racing debut in the Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots divisions. And according to him Creme Delight, Shortys Girl, and Goudawon are more than ready to start off their careers as they have been hardworking pupils in their initial preparationс.
Crème Delight will be the one to lead Mr. Brethour’s starters at the oval, as the filly is placed at Post 2 in the CA$22,150 Grassroots division. The horse is the daughter of The Bettors Delight and so far, has one qualifier at its resume, with third-place with 1:59.4 at Kawartha Downs on June 26. However, the trainer is concerned that she might be a few steps away from her peers.
Mr. Brethour trains the filly for his daughter Rachel Brethour of Sunderland, Dean Lockhart and Wayne Carleton of Collingwood, and Dean Campbell of Orleans, Ont., who have acquired the horse at last year’s Ontario Select Yearling Sale. Shortys Girl and Goudawon have already qualified twice in the June 19 Kawartha Downs and June 24 at Woodbine Mohawk Park
The trainer will also have two three-year-old pacing fillies in the Ontario Racing Prospect Series during Tuesday’s start of the season. The first one is Carwins Lucky Luna in Post 4 in the first division and then there is Money Honey in Post 4 in the last division. The latter will head into the series after its 1:55.4 victory at Kawartha Downs on June 26, which was her first one of its five starts.
Off to a Great Start
Another Ontario race track has already begun its live racing season as Kawartha Downs held its first live harness event in June after the suspension of the sport. The Fraserville oval officially returned to operations on June 12, and the track opened up the races with a CA$5,000 conditioned pace event. Trainer and driver Mario Baillargeon won the event with the best time of 1:52.2 with the First Glance horse.
Fans Return
Some of the province’s bigger horse racing facilities have been allowed to welcome back fans at the venues. Recently, Woodbine Entertainment announced that its Woodbine Racetrack and Woodbine Mohawk Part will permit live spectators at 25% of their maximum capacity. Besides, enjoying the harness races, visitors can also enjoy the tracks’ patio dining but in order to do so, they must make a reservation first.
Source: “Horse racing season kicks off at Georgian Downs tomorrow night”, Bradford Today, July 5, 2021
