(this classic 2008 shot of Somebeachsomewhere setting a 1:46.4 world record was taken by Dave Landry at The Red Mile)
As this ongoing series has proven, horses have the incredible ability to change individual lives. But it is said the impact of one horse was so profound he changed the life of an entire racetrack.
“Certainly having Somebeachsomewhere win the Battle of Waterloo in 2007 would have been the horse that changed Grand River Raceway’s life,” said Kelly Spencer, the Elora, ON track’s manager of marketing and communications.
A 1:54.2 victory in his Battle of Waterloo elimination on July 30, 2007 was the first career win for the Ontario Sired superstar trained and owned, in part, by Brent MacGrath of Bible Hill, NS and driven by Paul MacDonell of Guelph, ON. A week later, The Beach romped to a two-and-quarter length victory in 1:55 in the $300,000 final and was off to sport’s stratosphere.
Somebeachsomewhere won 20 of 21 career races, earned over $3.3 million, set a 1:46.4 world record and was named the co-winner of Canada’s Horse of the Year Award in 2007 and both the U.S. and Canadian Horse of the Year in 2008.
“From Grand River Raceway’s perspective, Somebeachsomewhere really elevated the Battle of Waterloo when he became what he became.”
In 2009, Grand River Raceway honoured Somebeachsomewhere by installing a tribute wall featuring images by Canadian Sportsman photographers Dave Landry and Claus Andersen.
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