Agricultural Society to the Rescue, Politics, and Karma

The Battle of Waterloo and The Battle of the Belles live on to see another season at Grand River Raceway thanks to the Grand River Agricultural Society, the parent company of Grand River Raceway.  These races were on the chopping block due to the end of SARP but were restored by the Agricultural Society after their board decided to put up the $75,000 added money to ensure the races continue. 

What makes this big news?  The purse account at Grand River would not sustain these races but being racing is being held at a non-profit agricultural society, they lived up to their mission statement to support agriculture by putting up the seed money necessary to host these races.  This is the beauty of the agricultural societies in Ontario; while they can't afford to continuously lose money, they realize they have a responsibility to agriculture in their communities.  Those of us who live in the metropolitan areas may dismiss the races at tracks like these, but where would racing in Ontario be without these B and C tracks?  I suggest things would be precarious as while horses move up to and down from the big leagues of WEG as their form and age dictates, there would be no industry in Ontario without them.


Another day, another death at Aintree.  Sooner or later, the public is going to demand the end of this type of jump racing in Britain, joining fox hunting as things of the past.  It can't come soon enough.


Lou Pena was denied a license to race in New Jeresy accordingto HRU.  Being Pena is banned from the Meadowlands, his license denial only keeps him from racing at Freehold (assuming they were to let him race).   Pena can always apppeal the license denial but no word as to whether he will do so.


An Ohio Senate sub-committee is hosting hearings on the demands the OSRC has placed on Penn National Gaming with regards to seating for racing at their new facilities which is resulting in delays in the building of these plants.  The arguments from the horsemen are the delays are good as things need to be right as you have one chance to woo the public while the arguments from the trade unions are it delays construction jobs, something the area needs.  The Senate sub-committee is investigating if this type of situation should be remedied through legislation.  Call me cynical, but I suspect the only reason this sub-committee is meeting is due to the bidding of certain special interests.  After all, isn't this how democracy works?

Bewareofthisaffair winning the Robert Wiley Memorial at Cal Expo
(Photo courtesy of Crystal View Photography)

And lastly, congratulations to Bewareofthisaffair and her connections for winning the Robert Wiley Memorial at Cal Expo (windows media player), a race named after Mr.Wiley's passing last week.  This was an emotional win for Bewareofthisaffair's owner who was friends with Mr. Wiley.  This week was also the anniversary of Bewareofthisaffair's dam Sanananna.  To the owner, this was as big a victory as any Bewareofthisaffair may have ever had.  While the purse was only $3,400, it didn't matter.  It seemed as if it was karma leading the horse known around the barn as Princess BB Bug to victory.  Who is to say it wasn't?