Western Fame and Sintra will headline the field for next weekend's Confederation Cup 39 after earning victories in Sunday night's (May 14) elimination round at Flamboro Downs.
Early trailer Western Fame tracked the live cover of 1-9 favourite Check Six then out-sprinted that foe to the finish line to win the first of two $20,000 eliminations.
Trevor Henry drove the Brittany Farms homebred pacer to victory in 1:52.4, defeating Check Six (Yannick Gingras) by a head with pacesetter Mr Wiggle Pants (Doug McNair) finishing third. Dr J Hanover (James MacDonald) finished fourth to earn a spot in the final as well while Magnum J (Jody Jamieson) was fifth ahead of Daylight Rush (Jonathan Drury) in field of six.
The top four finishers in each elimination will advance to next weekend's final, and one fifth-place finisher will also draw in to join the field. After both eliminations were completed, Magnum J was selected as the final starter in the post draw.
Jimmy Takter trains Western Fame, a four-year-old son of Western Ideal and Shyaway who has banked more than $485,000 lifetime.
In the first elimination, Mr Wiggle Pants looped the quick-leaving Daylight Rush to take the lead during a 27-second opening quarter. Meanwhile, Western Fame tracked Check Six as the favourite advanced up to second-place by the :56.2 half and pressured Mr Wiggle Pants, just a half-length behind, into the backstretch to three-quarters in 1:23.4. As Check Six edged ahead, Western Fame fanned wide and then collared that late leader down the stretch with a :28.4 final frame.
Western Fame, who hit the board in 15 of his 25 sophomore starts against stakes competition, won his 2017 season's debut at The Meadowlands on April 29 in 1:51 ahead of Check Six and was a runner-up behind the second elimination starter Sintra in the Graduate Series on May 6. Sent postward at odds of 8-1 in his Confederation Cup elim, he returned $19.60 to his backers at the betting windows.
In the second elimination, heavy 1-9 favourite Sintra also closed off cover to post a matching win time of 1:52.4 for local connections.
After fanning three-wide turning for home, Sintra and driver Jody Jamieson blew by race leader Roll Away Joe (Yannick Gingras), who was just edged out by first-over challenger Seeley Man (James MacDonald) with Stonebridge Beach (Stephane Pouliot) closing inside in the three-across finish for the runner-up honours. First Car (Phil Hudon) was fifth while Easy Lover Hanover (Doug McNair) completed the finish order.
Roll Away Joe established the lead off the gate and had the field lined up in single-file fashion through opening panels of :28 and :57.2. At the midway mark, Sintra followed the cover of Seeley Man, who advanced up to second on the way to three-quarters in 1:25, and then the favourite went wide to overpower the pacesetter in the drive to the wire. Sintra sprinted his final quarter in :27.2 for the two and a half length victory.
David Menary trains and co-owns the Mach Three-Dancin Barefoot gelding, who is undefeated in his first three starts of his four-year-old campaign and has lifetime earnings of more than $352,000. Menary's partners on Sintra are Brad Gray of Dundas, Ont. and Michael Guerriero of Brampton, Ont.
The $176,000 final of Flamboro's signature race (post positions below) will highlight the Sunday, May 21 card of harness racing, which begins at 7 p.m.
Confederation Cup Night will be filled with activities and attractions including a miniature horse race, T-shirt toss on the tarmac and grandstand, stilt walkers, and face painters. There will be a 250th Anniversary of Horse Racing In Canada display and merchandise booth and Motorcycle – Flat Track Racing Series booth on site. The I Love Canadian Harness Racing Fan Club will be present as well as the Labatt’s Sampling Team and Pepsi Sampling Team with prizes. In addition, a special round of the Survivor Handicapping Challenge, an online wagering contest, will have a $250 prize up for grabs. Flamboro Downs will also host a VIP Tent Party, sponsored by Labatts, on the tarmac and a live performance by local band 'SpeakEasy' after race 11.
Here is the field in post position order for next Sunday's feature event:
$176,000 Confederation Cup
1. Magnum J
2. Roll Away Joe
3. Seeley Man
4. Western Fame
5. Stonebridge Beach
6. Check Six
7. Mr Wiggle Pants
8. Sintra
9. Dr J Hanover
AE1. First Car
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Flamboro Downs.