Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society receives donation

MILTON, Ont.— The American Harness Drivers Club (AHDC), which donated $1,000 to the Ronald McDonald house on Sunday night (May 12), made another donation from its short Canadian harness racing tour on Monday night (May 13).

AHDC President Anthony Verruso led the presentation of a $1,000 donation to the Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society (OSAS) following the fourth race at Woodbine Mohawk Park, a $15,000 CKG Billings event featuring several AHDC club members. The OSAS is a charitable organization founded in 1996 focused on providing homes for retired and Standardbreds not in competition within Ontario.

Verruso was joined by fellow AHDC and Billings drivers for the check presentation in the winner’s circle.

“As a sport, we should do what we can to help racehorses have homes off the track when they’re racing days are done,” Anthony Verruso said. “Supporting programs like the OSAS is one of the rewarding pieces of being an amateur driver. We get to enjoy the thrill of the competition and then help support the animals that make our game so great.”

Monday’s donation is just another of many thousands of dollars the AHDC has disbursed to charities in 2023. As amateur drivers, members of the AHDC do not retain the driver’s share of purse earnings from races and instead reserves those dollars for charitable causes.

by Ray Cotolo, for the AHDC