The much anticipated 2013 Michigan fair racing calendar is now final and has approved by the Michigan Department of Agriculture. Despite the continued decline in industry revenues and some justifiable concern about being able to create a workable fair racing program, Michigan horsemen will enjoy an outstanding line-up of fair racing opportunities this summer. The new Great Lakes Series for 2-year-olds will be a seven week program with $8,000 total purses plus a final and the Colt Stakes program will include ten weeks of $4,000 total purse Bronze events and eight weeks of $8,000 total purse Silver events. The Wolverine, Spartan, Breeder’s, and Sire Stakes round out the summer schedule.

In total, there are 24 days of fairground events and 6 days at pari-mutuel tracks. As has been the case for a number of years, this summer’s racing schedule will begin in Charlotte with Silver circuit and overnights on Friday, July 5^th. The fair schedule will conclude at Hillsdale on Thursday, Sept. 26^th and the Great Lakes Series finals will be raced at Sports Creek Raceway as part of their card on Saturday, Oct. 5^th. Back by popular demand, after several years absence at many fairs, are 98 overnight events spread across 20 of the summer’s fair dates. To help fill the void of no pari-mutuel racing during most of September, nearly half of those fair overnights will be raced during that month.

Week 1

Charlotte – Fri., Jul. 5^th (Silver & Overnights)

Big Rapids – Mon., Jul. 8^th (Overnights); Tue., Jul. 9^th (GLS, Bronze & Overnights)

Week 2

Hastings – Sun., Jul. 14^th (Silver & Overnights); Mon., Jul. 15^th (GLS, Bronze)

Week 3

Fowlerville – Mon., Jul. 22^nd (Bronze & Overnights)

Holland – Tue., Jul. 23^rd (Wolverine & Overnights)

Week 4

Croswell – Sun., Jul. 28^th (Silver & Overnights)

Hazel Park – Mon., Jul. 29^th (GLS)

Harrison – Wed., Jul. 31^st (Bronze & Overnights)

Week 5

Harrison – Thu., Aug. 1^st (Overnights)

Hazel Park – Sat., Aug. 3^rd (Silver); Mon., Aug. 5^th (GLS)

Ithaca – Wed., Aug. 7^th (Overnights)

Midland – Tue., Aug. 13^th (Spartan & Bronze)

Week 6

Hazel Park – Mon., Aug. 19^th (Breeder’s)

Hart – Wed., Aug. 21^st (Bronze & Overnights)

Week 7

Adrian – Sun., Aug. 25^th (GLS & Silver)

Hazel Park – Mon., Aug. 26^th (Sire Stake Eliminations)

Adrian – Tue., Aug. 27^th (Bronze & Overnights)

Kinross – Fri., Aug. 30^th (Overnights)

Hazel Park – Mon., Sep. 2^nd (Sire Stake Finals)

Week 8

Allegan – Mon., Sep. 9^th (Silver & Bronze); Wed., Sep. 11^th (Overnights), Thu., Sep. 12^th (Overnights)

Week 9

Centreville – Mon., Sep. 16^th (Silver, Bronze & Overnights); Tue., Sep. 17^th (GLS & Overnights); Wed., Sep. 18^th (Overnights)

Week 10

Hillsdale – Tue., Sep. 24^th (Silver, Bronze & Overnights); Thu., Sep. 26^th (GLS & Overnights)

Sports Creek – Sat., Oct. 5^th (GLS Finals)

Click here to download the entire race schedule in calendar format.

Among many special events planned this summer is the annual celebrity race at Big Rapids on July 9^th. This annual charity fund-raiser is a huge local event and will draw many hundreds to the fairgrounds to experience harness racing on Tuesday evening. In addition to the Great Lakes Series and Bronze races scheduled for that evening, two overnight trot events are also planned. If you have horses that might make good candidates for the Big Rapids celebrity race, please contact Pat Currie (231-629-7342) or John Currie (231-629-7273) at your earliest convenience. The Currie’s and the rest of the crew in Big Rapids do a tremendous job promoting racing and your help making their annual celebrity race a success is appreciated.

The MHHA will publish a complete fair racing booklet that will be available on the MHHA website by June 10^th. The booklet will include the entire racing schedule, entry details, and conditions for the fair overnights. Fairs are reminded to please provide conditions to the MHHA no later than June 1^st, so that they can be included in the fair booklet.

By Patricia Miller for GLADA

The Great Lakes Amateur Drivers Association season opener is in the books and Jerry Mihelich will long remember it as his first big win with Keeping Grace, trained by Marie St. Charles. Mihelich streaked away from the gate to the top and led the race to a 29.1 first quarter, and when the dust settled, Keeping Grace took the big prize in 1.59.1. Sent off as the race favorite, Mihelich made it look easy and in spite of a valiant stretch drive by Richard Roach on the Jeff Pickvet trained Mylittlej who took the place money in 1.59.2, it was Keeping Grace’s night.

Key To A Star, a Jim Forsyth trainee in rein to club president Steve Oldford, was second at the quarter, and eventually finished third in 2.00 flat.

A beautiful summer night with a nearly full moon greeted the GLADA racers, and family and friends cheered wildly at the trotters came by the stands for the first time. Down the backstretch it seemed that Merlincrest’s magic returned and Michael Caston took over second place as the drivers swung for home. But Mylittlej under strong urging from Roach streaked down the stretch and overtook the tiring Merlincrest.

Mihelich was big eyed and beaming as he guided Keeping Grace into the winner’s circle. “Wow, what a win and what a race. Grace was her usual quick leaver and finisher tonight, and I am thrilled with her effort,” he said. “She left the same way when I qualified her so I knew she was going to be good off the gate.”

It was a night to remember for all the drivers as they plan their next race on Monday May 27. GLADA appreciates Ladd Biro and Hazel Park for their interest in amateur racing and the GLADA club.

Friends may meet with the family of long-time West Michigan horseman Ray Brown, who passed away this past weekend, on Thursday, May 16, 2013, from 2-4 and 6-8 P.M. at the Winkel Funeral Home, Otsego, where services will be held Friday, May 17, 2013, at 11:00 A.M., Rev. James Collison officiating. Interment at Hicks Cemetery, Watson Twp.

Raymond E. ‘Ray’ Brown was born April 12, 1932 in Watson Twp., Allegan Co., the son of Leonard and Hazel (Van Houten) Brown. Ray originally got his start in racing with ponies and then made switch to Standardbreds. A few of his horses included Major Accent, Last Digit, Raymie Raymie, Yankee Ingenuity, Widow Galley, and most recent and still racing Shark Dressed Man. He was a fixture at Michigan fairs and will be greatly missed by his many friends. Most of you know Ray's son Ed who, along with his wife Penny, train and race here in Michigan.

On December 7, 1951, Ray married the former Marilynn Lacey, who survives. Also surviving are their children, Raymond (Charlene) Brown of Otsego, Leonard (Terri) Brown of Adrian, Edward (Penny) Brown of Otsego, Cindy (Dennis) Burnham of Kalamazoo, Wendy Evans of Gobles, and Robert (Stephanie) Brown of Otsego; 12 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; his siblings, Joyce (Al) Kolbeck, June McEwen, Neva Wallace, Helen Wallace and a sister-in-law, Jean Brown; many nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family members.

Our sincere condolences to Ray's family on their loss.