The Reverend Returns

Iron horse Windsong Grayson, a 10 year-old gelding by Santanna Blue Chip, is the latest addition to the OSAS roster. The tough campaigner faced the gate 222 times in his long career and retired with a summary of 35-21-24 with $174,000 in the bank. The adaptable pacer was claimed an incredible 19 times over his long career which spanned from age three through 10. He will have time to decompress before he starts training for his next career. Anyone who has followed raced in the province is familiar with Grayson’s family. His dam, Windsong Grand Ave, was a solid campaigner earning $275,000 while his grandam, Jasper Avenue took in more than a half million dollars in her career. Windsong Grayson was featured on COSA TV last year and that segment may be watched here.

Sincere thanks to all those who contributed to the success of this year’s Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society’s golf tournament held Wednesday, September 11, at Wildwinds Golf Links. The tournament, which sold out in less than 24 hours when it was announced, attracted golfers from across the province who were treated to ideal weather conditions and a fun afternoon of food, fellowship and golf. Traditionally this tournament (which celebrated its 26 th year in 2024), is one of OSAS’s most successful fundraisers of the season and this year’s was no exception. We express sincere thanks to all those who contributed by playing, sponsoring holes, volunteering, etc. It’s gratifying to see the great support for our Standardbred horses in their retirement. 

The Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society reminds all those signed up for this year’s golf tournament taking place this Wednesday (September 11). Hosted by Wildwinds Golf Links (Centre Wellington, Ontario), registration starts at approximately 11:15 a.m. The shotgun start will get underway at 12:30. One of OSAS’s most popular fundraisers every year, this marks the 26 th year of the tournament. Further information may be obtained by contacting Joanne Colville at 905-339-6748 ( osashorses@gmail.com ). 

Hemi Seelster was an iron horse on the racetrack with 175 lifetime starts through nine years from ages two through 10. He compiled an impressive summary of 36-21-15 with $856,218 banked while racing for 11 trainers at 16 different tracks across North America. One of his most celebrated accomplishments was his victory in the 2015 Goodtimes final at Mohawk Racetrack worth $233,000. With Steve Byron at the controls Hemi scored an upset win with a 1:54 mile. What made the victory so sweet was that Hemi was owned and trained by John Bax who also trained the race’s namesake, Goodtimes, one of the best trotters ever bred in Canada and a member of the country’s Hall of Fame. Once retired, Hemi joined the Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society in 2022. He spent time at Susan and Bert Mollica’s foster farm where he learned his new role as a riding horse. The now 12 year-old gelding by Holiday Road was adopted by veterinarian Dr. Parul Musaddy late last year. She sent us this lovely photo of she and Hemi advising that they are both enjoying his retirement.

As the Ontario Sires Stakes celebrate their 50 th anniversary this year, it is fitting that this year’s Drive With Us performer is a former star in the provincial program, Reverend Hanover. Now 12, Reverend Hanover was a standout in the OSS during his racing career. As a two-year-old he only made four starts, but he made them all count as two were OSS Gold events and the finale was the OSS Super Final. During his sophomore year he not only starred once again in the provincial program, including another Super Final victory, but he also took on and held his own against the grand circuit boys in the Simcoe Stakes and Breeders Crown. The summary of his career shows 10-4-2 in 27 total starts for over $550,000 in earnings. His mark of 1:48.3s makes him the fastest three-year-old sired by Sportswriter. Since his retirement Reverend has been a wonderful ambassador for the Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society, helping demonstrate the versatility of the Standardbred horse in a variety of ways. That includes the Drive With Us program which offers racetrack patrons a unique perspective of Mohawk racetrack from behind a horse. This past Saturday Reverend not only kicked off this season’s Drive With Us program, but he also did double duty as the Meet And Greet horse, welcoming fans to the Campbellville oval at the front of the grandstand. Co-sponsored by COSA and WEG, the Drive With Us opportunity is available all summer on Saturday evenings until the end of September.

OSAS is pleased to welcome the five-year-old gelding Rivercruise to our program. A son of Betterthancheddar, Rivercruise faced the gate 53 times in his career and earned a life mark of 1:57.1 over Flamboro’s half miler. A half-brother to Trident Seelster ($177,000), Rivercruise hails from a well known pacing family. His third dam is the talented Enroute, a winner of more than $750,000 close to four decades ago. Rivercruise is enjoying his retirement at Shelley Higgins’ foster farm for OSAS.

The date and details for the 2024 Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society’s annual Golf Tournament were announced today. The 26th edition of the popular fundraiser will take place at Wildwinds Golf Links (Centre Wellington, Ontario), on Wednesday, September 11. The tournament will get underway at 12:30 with a shotgun start. The cost is $130 per golfer which includes lunch, golf, dinner, cart and prizes. Registration can be made as a team or individual. Lunch and registration will start at approximately 11:15 a.m. Non golfers are more than welcome to attend and/or contribute by sponsoring a hole or an item for the prize table. Please contact Joanne Colville 905-339-6748 (osashorses@gmail.com) to register to play, regarding sponsorship or for additional information. The official adoption agency for Standardbred horses in Ontario for close to three decades, OSAS’s mandate is to promote the versatility of the Standardbred horse. We have found loving, forever homes for well over 1,000 harness horses since our inception.

The Canadian Cowgirls Precision Drill Team, which includes a retired Standardbred as one of their featured performers, have announced their schedule for the 2024 season. Team members include retired trotter Bugsy and his rider Jamie Drew. Jamie’s family adopted Bugsy, then known as Masseno, from the Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society in 2020 and he has quickly adapted from racehorse to a valued member of the drill team. Now seven, Bugsy is a son of Muscle Mass who had a brief racing career (four starts, two seconds and one third) as a three-year-old before being retired. His full brother, Nzuri, enjoyed success last year as a two-year-old, earning just under $50,000 from seven starts which included two Ontario Sires Stakes victories. The geldings hail from a celebrated Canadian trotting family. Their dam, Tomorrows Dream (owned by Julie and Paul Walker), is a daughter of O’Brien Award winner Mombasa, and the dam of O’Brien winner Filly At Bigs. The third dam is another O’Brien victor, Mygal Haw Lea, the dam of Bridger, a member of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame. To read a full feature story on Jamie and Bugsy distributed by Woodbine Entertainment and written by Chris Loman, please click here. Jamie notes in the story how people are quite surprised to learn that her mount is a harness horse. The pair are a shining example of OSAS’s mandate to promote the incredible versatility of the Standarbred horse. If you have the opportunity to see the Canadian Cowgirls team in action, we strongly recommend it as they put on a wonderful show. Here are the 2024 dates: May 25-26 Grey Highlands Ram Rodeo * June 8-9 Headwaters Ram Rodeo * June 22-23 Polo For Heart * July 13-14 Breyerfest (Kentucky)* July 13-14 Brigden Ram Rodeo July 20-21 Erin Ram Rodeo * July 27-28 Rockton Ram Rodeo August 3-5 Stevensville Ram Rodeo August 9-11 Comber Fair * August 10-11 Exeter Rodeo August 17 Petrolia Parade August 24-25 Purple Hill Ram Rodeo * August 31 – September 1 Tweed Stampede* September 14-15 Binbrook Ram Rodeo October 1-5 International Plowing Match (Lindsay) October 18-20 Ancaster Ram Rodeo Finals * November Royal Winter Fair * * Indicates events where Jamie and Bugsy will be performing. Photos of Jamie and Bugsy are courtesy of Tammy Walker Drew.

OSAS would like to express our appreciation to the amateur drivers who competed at Mohawk on Monday, May 13. As is their tradition, they donated $1,000 to a local charity and we are grateful they selected Ontario’s official Standardbred adoption agency. OSAS’s Joanne Colville, who also serves as the track’s outrider, was on hand to receive the cheque from the drivers. (New Image Media photo)