London, May
5, 2016 -- The Raceway at Western Fair District is gearing up for what promises
to be one of the biggest days in Canadian harness racing this season when it
hosts the Molson Pace program on closing night, Friday, May 27. More than
$500,000 in purses will be offered up on the 12-race program which will get
underway at 7:05 p.m.
The
highlight will be the $150,000 Molson Pace Invitational featuring many of the
sport’s best older pacers. The headliner is expected to be Canada’s reigning
Horse of the Year, State Treasurer, who will be looking for an unprecedented
fourth straight Molson title. He will meet reigning American Horse of the Year
Wiggle It Jiggle It in an early-season test this Saturday night at Mohawk
Racetrack.
The race
office has been busy scouting the older pacing division in recent weeks and has
started sending out invitations. Other confirmed starters will be announced in
the coming days.
For the
second straight year, the Molson program will feature a powerful undercard
which includes the Ontario Sires Stakes Gold divisions for three-year-old colt
pacers. It will provide fans with their first look at this year’s crop of the
province’s finest glamour boys. The 2016 edition at The Raceway produced
stellar performances from Go Daddy Go (1:53.1), Sportskeeper (1:53) and
Windsong Leo (1:54.1).
A quartet
of City of London Series Finals will also be contested that night with more
than $150,000 up for grabs for three-year-old colts and fillies on both the
trot and pace.
New this
year will be a pair of $12,000 (added) Claiming Finals for $6,000 claiming
pacers (both male and female) as part of the newly-formed Alliance Series of
races as well as an added-purse Junior Invitational Pace.
“It’s
certainly our biggest night of the season and we want to finish it off on a
high note,” said Racing Manager Greg Blanchard. “As always, we have a lot going
on that night in terms of promotions but we want the racing on track to be the
focal point. We’re working hard to put on the best program possible and hope to
have something for everyone.”
The
wagering menu will also be bolstered with the addition of a third Super Hi-5
wager that night. There will be a trio of guaranteed pool wagers offered up as
well including the early Pick-3 ($5,000), early Pick-4 ($10,000) and late
Pick-4 ($15,000). All of these wagers come with a low 15% takeout rate.
The Raceway
also wishes to remind horseplayers that it will host a special matinee program
of live racing this Saturday beginning at 1:15 p.m. as part of Kentucky Derby Day.
Following live racing, fans can stick around and watch the network broadcast of
the Kentucky Derby on The Raceway’s new state-of-the-art infield video board.
For more
details on that, along with all of the upcoming events at The Raceway, visit www.westernfairdistrict.com.
