It's worth celebrating Canada's first Maritime track to launch its spring meet, so Canada's chapter of the U.S. Harness Writers Association (USHWA) challenged a few non-member friends to a handicapping contest.
Opening day at Nova Scotia's Truro Raceway is Sunday (April 25) with post time at 12:45 p.m. Atlantic (11:45 a.m. Eastern).
Current USHWA Canada chapter president Ryan Clements, Manitoba fair racecaller and handicapper Trey Colbeck, and Ontario Racing handicappers Garnet Barnsdale and Melissa Keith are representing the chapter. Northfield Park's Michael Carter (an Ohio USHWA member and Ontario Racing handicapper), Truro Raceway track photographer Kyle Burton, and former Yonkers Raceway publicity director Frank Drucker will also be making picks for the contest.
All are harness horseplayers with some serious half-mile track credentials among them, but how will they handle Truro's first card of 2021?
Each handicapper will select one horse and one back-up horse (in case of a scratch) per race, for each of the eight races Sunday. The top overall return on investment, based on hypothetical $2 win, place and show bets, wins the challenge. The USHWA Canada chapter will make a cash donation to the top ROI handicapper's charity of choice.
The Truro Raceway handicapping contest players' selections will be displayed on Twitter, via the official @USHWACanada account and the hashtag #BetTruroChallenge. Bettors can show support for Canada's only track currently racing by playing their favourite handicapper's picks — or their own — on HorsePlayer Interactive or other advance deposit wagering sites.
To view Sunday's Truro Raceway entries, as well as program pages (courtesy TrackIT), click the following links: Entries | Program Pages
(USHWA Canada Chapter)