CAMPBELLVILLE, Ont. — Richard Young, co-owner of world champion mare Put On A Show, is once again supporting A Spring Of Hope, a charity near and dear to his heart.
Founded by his daughter, Brittany and wife, Joanne, A Spring Of Hope is a public foundation, which builds water wells in rural African schools to improve community health conditions and to promote education at a grassroots level.
Young, along with Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG), organized the inaugural edition of the event for aged pacing mares, which began last year.
“There are two reasons why I wanted to do this,” Young said. “One, I wanted to do whatever I could to support the charity. Two, I also was thinking that there are not enough races for aged pacing mares. So, last year, I asked Bruce Murray (Vice President of Standardbred Racing, WEG) if it was possible to do something like this and we were able to work something out.”
Last year, Young’s Put On A Show was unable to participate due to injury, but this year, the earner of $2,321,093 will be the headliner in the $100,000 A Spring Of Hope.
“Wherever she finishes in the race, I will donate 50 per cent of her earnings to the charity,” he said. “I would say she has an excellent chance of picking up a decent cheque and I’m looking forward to the event on Saturday. It’s a great cause.”
Young has also encouraged the connections of each horse to support the charity.
“It’s a charity event and we hope that the participants will contribute to A Spring Of Hope, just like a regular stake race, in lieu of a starting fee.”
A raffle will also take place for a chance to win two pictures by Artissimo Designs. Raffle tickets will sell for $2 each on Saturday inside the Mohawk entrance. All money raised will be donated to A Spring Of Hope.
Young, admittedly, will be on the edge of his seat when he cheers on Put On A Show and I Luv The Nitelife, who will contest in the $610,000 Shes A Great Lady final for freshman pacing fillies.
After Put On A Show became the fastest mare in history with her 1:47.4 world record performance at The Meadowlands on August 4 (Hambletonian Day), I Luv The Nitelife also gained world champion status when she lowered the world record to 1:50.1 in her Shes A Great Lady elimination this past Saturday.
“I’ve been in this game for 25 years and never had anything close to a world champion…now I have two in one month. It’s incredible,” Young said.
Put On A Show will begin from post seven in race three, while I Luv The Nitelife will start from post three in race seven.
Chris Ryder, trainer of both Put On A Show and I Luv The Nitelife, spoke with WEG’s Media Department this past Saturday. To watch the video, click here.