ELORA, ON — Grand River Raceway hosts its second Ontario Sires Stakes event of the week this Friday, July 7, welcoming 66 three-year-old trotting colts for nine Grassroots divisions.

A total of $135,000 will be up for grabs at the Elora oval and Terry Taylor would like to see Hettie’s Hope further his racing education and earn a share of the provincial purse money.

“He’s coming around. He’s green as can be,” says the Fergus resident, who shares ownership on Hettie’s Hope with Robert Rombaugh of Mississauga. “He’s actually a real nervous horse� that shows signs of speed.

“I think by the end of the year he should be an okay colt. He’s finally starting to learn.”

The Berndt Hanover son has just six starts under his belt, three as a two-year-old and three this season. His sophomore debut came in the June 11 Grassroots event at Windsor Raceway, where he finished fifth. Since then Hettie’s Hope has added one win and one second to his resume in overnight action at Grand River Raceway.

Gregg McNair trains Hettie’s Hope and the Guelph resident has been working to help the colt overcome an aversion to being hit with the dirt coming up from other horse’s hooves and race bikes. Both starts at Grand River saw the colt and driver Jim McClure control the pace from the front end, but Taylor says they hope to see him race out of a hole on Friday.

“We’re trying to teach him to sit in a hole and I think that’s coming. I guess we’ll get to see on Friday night,” says the owner. “If we don’t have to race him from the front I think he will last a lot longer.”

Taylor and Rombough acquired Hettie’s Hope as a yearling in 2004 based on the success of his half-siblings $139,631 winner Hettie’s Valley and $176,293 winner Hettie’s Charm. The acquisition marked the seventh year of Taylor’s return to horse ownership after a two decade long hiatus.

“I was involved about 35 years ago, then got out while we raised a family, and just got back into baby trotters about eight or nine years ago,” he explains. “I love the trotters. I like the gait, I like the breed, they seem to have more character than a lot of pacing breds and they are more of a challenge. When we get older we like challenges.

“I didn’t have much patience and I thought this is a great way to develop patience,” he adds, tongue firmly in cheek.

Hettie’s Hope will test his owner’s developing patience from Post 7 in Race 2 on Friday, facing off against a field of six that includes former Grassroots division winner Random Attack from Post 4.

Post time at Grand River Raceway on Friday evening is 7:15 pm and Ontario Sires Stakes fans can catch the three-year-old trotting colts in Races 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10 and 11.

For complete entries please go to:

http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/entries/data/egrvrfr.html