With racing set to resume on June 11, Ontario Racing has released the revised 2021 Prospect Series schedule, which will see the season open on Sunday, June 27.
Clinton Raceway will welcome the three-year-old pacing colts for their opening leg on the last Sunday in June, while Dresden Raceway plays host to the three-year-old trotting colts. The colts will be looking to earn early points toward their respective Prospect Series Final, which remains Sept. 24 at Grand River Raceway.
All four legs originally slated for the month of May have been rescheduled, which required changes to the overall calendar for the three-year-old competitors. The two-year-old schedules remain unchanged. A complete Prospect Series schedule can be found here on the Ontario Racing website.
Trainer Wayne Henry landed two three-year-old trotters in the Prospect Series Finals last September, filly Credits Celebrity, who finished third, and gelding Wheelin Willie, who finished out of the money. Henry also drove Arch We Lucky to victory in the two-year-old trotting colt Final for his brother George Henry. While the pair hopes Arch We Lucky’s Prospect Series success vaults him to a successful campaign in the Ontario Sires Stakes program this summer, Henry is pleased the Prospect Series has returned for a second season.
“It gives you a chance,” said Henry, a two-time winner of the Johnston Cup as the Ontario Sires Stakes program’s leading trainer. “The Grassrooters are so tough now. There’s some that are just so fast, they can go just as fast over a half as they can Mohawk.”
Henry currently has a trio of trotters in training, two three-year-old trotting colts and one two-year-old trotting filly, and at this point the Arthur, ON resident is not sure at which level they will compete this summer.
“It just depends where they come along,” said the horseman. “The one (three-year-old) he’s a better follower, it don’t seem to matter how fast they go, he just follows along. The other guy, he’s a little more aggressive. He’s not a bad colt either, if I can keep things sorted out on him.”
If Henry opts for the Prospect Series opener at Dresden Raceway on June 27, the trainer-driver will be hoping the colts can get a head start on the point race. The top nine point earners from the five regular season events earn a berth in the Sept. 24 final.
Complete information about the 2021 Prospect Series, including the revised schedule, can be found on the Ontario Racing website. For additional information please contact the Program Administrator at ossprogram@ontarioracing.com.
(Photo of Wayne Henry and Arch We Lucky courtesy of AG Photography)
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