Today was Industry Day at Grand River Raceway, Ontario and saw the running of their two premier pacing events – the Battle Of Waterloo for the two-year-old colts and the Battle Of The Belles for the two-year-old fillies.
The Battle Of Waterloo is an iconic event on the Ontario racing calendar and has launched the careers of the likes of Somebeachsomewhere and Prodigal Seelster. Last year's winner, Go Daddy Go went on to be one of the best two-year-olds in North America.
This year's $227,000 running of the Battle Of Waterloo was won by Magnum J. Trained by Gregg McNair and driven by his son Doug, Magnum J is a first crop son of the former US 2yo Pacer of the Year, Big Jim.
Magnum J was most impressive, leading all the way from seven at the gate to win in 1:55.6 around the half-mile circuit. The victory was his second in a row having won his heat the week before in 1:54.6.
Like so many winners of the Battle Of Waterloo before him, he looks like a horse with a bright future.
Big Jim was a superstar juvenile himself on the track winning the Breeders Crown and breaking the world record for a two-year-old.
He is off the an excellent start to his siring career with 34 of his 72 first crop foals having already raced, 13 having won in 2:00 and 4 already winning in under 1:55.
But it was the victory of Magnum J today that alerted the breeding industries on both sides of the world that Big Jim is well on his way as a sire.
Big Jim's first southern hemisphere crop of 91 foals (55 in New Zealand and 36 in Australia) will race as two-year-olds this season.
Harnesslink Media