Blogs

Top 4's & More... Good luck this weekend!

Posted Date:

Thursday, June 4, 2020

Ontario harness racing returns this weekend with 7 race programs taking place, over Friday & Saturday, at 6 different tracks. The last 2 harness tracks to race, in Ontario, were Woodbine Mohawk Park (a Premier track) on Thursday, March 19 - with a total wager of $1,879,809 over 10 races and The Raceway at Western Fair District (a Signature track) on Wednesday, March 18 - with a total wager of $992,517 over 11 races. It will be interesting to see how the wagering numbers continue as tracks will proceed to race without spectators - as was the case back in March. Here we go then - I...

New Looks At Hanover For 2020 / Camluck Classic Highlights

Posted Date:

Monday, June 1, 2020

New Looks At Hanover For 2020 A changing of the guard at Hanover Raceway, for 2020, will see Steve Fitzsimmons looking after the General Manager duties - while Tony Elliott will assume the Assistant to the General Manager role. “It’s pretty much the role I was looking for,” says Elliott. “This puts me in line for what I’m aiming for in my career… I’m looking forward to getting some experience in both the marketing and managing sides of the horse racing business.” Elliott was a familiar face around The Raceway, in London, this past race...

Camluck Classic: 2020 Edition

Posted Date:

Thursday, May 28, 2020

This would have been it... The end of our race meet, at The Raceway, would have concluded with our signature event - the Camluck Classic - on Friday, May 29... With our race meet ending, back in mid-March, due to the pandemic - I could be a little rusty, but I'm in to go - for a pair of race calls on some virtual harness racing action this weekend. Hope you can join us! The U.S. Trotting Association, in conjunction with Off And Pacing, continues their series of simulated stakes races on Friday (May 29) with the virtual Camluck Classic from The Raceway at Western Fair District...

I’ve always loved the horses!

Posted Date:

Tuesday, May 26, 2020

“I really never saw myself broadcasting,” says Michigan native Jessica Otten. “When I was younger I always wanted to be a teacher… Why? I have no idea…” Now 23 and living in Hightstown, New Jersey, this third-generation horse person has gone from living on a farm to living in a town - which she says has been a big adjustment, but she does live close to quite a few training centers which helps. “I've always loved the horses,” she says. “They’ve been such a huge part of my life ever since I was a baby. When I got my driver...

Horsing Around With Sorella And Miller

Posted Date:

Thursday, May 21, 2020

#LouKnows Chimes In On Racing “There’s a chance the time off may not be as kind to the horses that were sharp before this break,” says Lou Sorella aka #LouKnows - a horse owner and guest handicapper at The Raceway. “The horses that were in need of some time off certainly got a well-deserved rest, but I think when we come back - it’ll be a pretty level playing field for everyone… Here’s hoping everyone follows the guidelines that will keep us safe and racing for the remainder of this 2020 season and beyond.” Sorella teamed up with Chatham...

It's almost post time for a harness race!

Posted Date:

Monday, May 18, 2020

Here they come! It’s almost post time for a harness race in North America... It’s been way too long! Going behind the gate first will be Scioto Downs (Columbus, OH) this Friday, May 22, with a Race 1 post time of 6:30 ET - without spectators... One of my favourite half-milers - Northfield Park (Cleveland, OH) - will start back on Tuesday, May 26 at 6:00 ET - again without spectators. It’s the new horse racing world we’ll be living in for the months ahead - live racing without spectators… Here’s wishing all the tracks, returning to action, the best...

Do you remember old 'Recall Hanover'?

Posted Date:

Friday, May 15, 2020

A little trivia here… What free-legged pacer once had the nickname ‘Recall Hanover’ - among horse people - around the B-tracks of Ontario? Keep reading along for the answer... I spotted a beautiful photo of a veteran racehorse, on Facebook, this past week and then reached out to his owner Jansen Sweet to talk about this former Ontario pacer - now getting set for his 13-year-old racing season in Prince Edward Island. Shiftyn Georgie (Rambaran-Paradigm Shift-Camluck) was bred by Ailsa Craig’s Rick Heamen and he’d make his first career start back on...

Off And Pacing... Soon - hopefully!

Posted Date:

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

"Harness racing has a short window to reinvent itself and become relevant again - in a way that hasn’t been seen for many decades. The status quo will not be sufficient to capture this opportunity when racing returns,” says horse owner/game designer Ryan Clements. “I think there’s a lot we can do. There is going to be many eyes on our sport if we do come back soon. And when we do get that brief moment, with no other major sports in play, we’ll have a chance to build a new fan base and we may never get this chance again. I believe we have to make the most of...

A Throwback To The Molson Pace Of 2014...

Posted Date:

Saturday, May 9, 2020

MacDonald Returning For Molson Pace (May, 2014) A very familiar and former leading driver at The Raceway at Western Fair District is coming back to London for the Molson Pace. Mark MacDonald has been one of North America’s top pilots for a number of years, but he’s never captured the prestigious Molson Pace. “I’ve been in The Pace with some very nice horses,” he says. “Tigerama set the track record there (1:50.4 in 2008) in his elim, but he drew the outside post in the Final and things didn’t work out.” “I finished second with Dr...

There are better days ahead!

Posted Date:

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

On Monday, May 4, officials with The Raceway at Western Fair District announced that the track has cancelled the 2020 edition of the Camluck Classic Invitational. Via a press release, Western Fair announced that the decision was reached after much consideration. The 2020 edition of the Camluck Classic Invitational had been scheduled for Friday, May 29. In its release, the track stated that the $150,000 stakes race is slated to return in 2021. Western Fair also stated that the 2020 City of London Series, which had finals slated for the same night as the Camluck Classic, has been...