Curtain set to close on Exhibition Park racing

Horse Racing New Brunswick will close a chapter on harness racing in the once “Giant of Maritime Racing” on Saturday (Oct. 15) at Exhibition Park Raceway.

After the much-publicized fact that the Saint John Exhibition Association will not enter into a new lease for 2023, horses have been asked to be off the premises by year end. This brings an end to racing in the city that has taken place for centuries.

This brings forth the final live card of racing in the Port City of Saint John set for Saturday with the finals of the New Brunswick Breeders stakes and memorial races for many Saint John iconic figures.

There is over $58,000 in purse money to be doled out on the seven-dash program which is scheduled for a 1:00 P.M start.

Race two of the day is the $8,640 Peter & Jeanne Gray Memorial in the NB Breeders – three-year-old colt final. Brumby (Pang Shui) and David Dowling are the morning line choice and was a runner-up in an earlier leg of the stake back on May 14th.

Race six is the richest of the day with $32,640 in purse money in the two-year-old filly and colt final. Nannie Bernice (Artspeak) goes in as the odds-on choice as she is riding a win streak of five. She dropped her lifetime record to 1:57.1 for her regular driver John Davidson.

Final race of the afternoon will recognize one of Exhibition Park Raceway’s pioneers with the Ingham Palmer Memorial which has been dubbed the “High atop the Grandstand” pace.

Ing “The King” was track announcer and publicity director at Exhibition Park Raceway for decades and is affectionately known as the “Dean of Maritime track announcers”. He was known for his smooth delivery and had a majestic way of calling a horse race.

American Risk (American Ideal), a pacer who has raced the Maritimes best all season, ships in from Nova Scotia has been listed as the one to beat by the odds maker and will have the services of Todd Trites from post-five.

There are a number of Exhibition Park well-known horsemen and women being remembered on the final card. Besides the aforementioned, there will be races in memory of Brian Moore, Kirkpatrick family, Mac Lawson, and Ken Atkinson.

Horse Racing New Brunswick extends their gratitude to those who are sponsoring coolers and to the horsemen and women who are taking part in not only this race card, but every one of the race cards over the years. They hope to continue racing in 2023 at another location in the province.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Scott Waddell, for Horse Racing New Brunswick