There is only a single $50,000 elimination for the upcoming $700,000 Canadian Pacing Derby

– but what a field it is.

Ten of harness racing’s most illustrious older pacers will go head-to-head, including a number who sat out the August 22 Breeders Crown event for mature pacers. The field includes Little Brown Jug champion, Shadow Play; upset Breeders Crown winner Won The West; four-year-old Art Official, who holds the distinction of being the only horse ever to defeat Somebeachsomewhere; and $3.9 million earner, Mister Big, who won this event in 2008.

Also in the mix is, Silent Swing, a seven-year-old gelded son of Northern Luck who has earned more than $1.4 million for trainer Jean-Louis Arsenault and owners David Shea and Reg Petitpas. Silent Swing will go into Saturday night’s elimination almost straight off the trailer from a return trip to Charlottetown, PEI, where this year he was narrowly defeated by All The Weapons in the 2009
edition of the Gold Cup and Saucer.

Arsenault says he took the scenic route home quite deliberately. “We stopped for two days in Moncton, and another day in Montreal, so he could have some time off the trailer and some turn-out.

“He had a pretty rough ride on the island from the eight hole – it was like bumper cars. A little down time was good for him.

“Frankly I was hoping we might not have an elimination this year, given the small size of the Breeders’ Crown field in this division, but since we do, we’ll draw blood on him on Friday, and if he’s good, then we’ll race.”

Every horse in the Canadian Pacing Derby elimination field deserves serious respect, Arsenault says. “Especially Shadow Play, if he’s healthy, but every horse in there is impressive.”

Silent Swing will once again have to endure starting from the eight hole this Saturday, but any result in the top eight will advance him to the final, along with two horses who have been awarded a bye based on their 2009 earnings: four-year-old Bettors Delight gelding, Bettor Sweet, and $1.5 million earner, Shark Gesture.

(WEG)

To view Saturday’s harness racing entries, click here.