The Confederation Cup, one of Canadian harness racing’s signature events, will return to Flamboro Downs in 2015 after a two-year hiatus.
The inaugural Confederation Cup was contested in 1977 and quickly became an annual showcase of the sport’s top three-year-old pacers.
However, when the ‘Cup’ returns for its 37th edition in 2015, it will be raced under a new format.
Confederation Cup XXXVII, sponsored by Great Canadian Gaming and administrated by the Woodbine Entertainment Group, will be for four-year-old pacers and will take place on the Victoria Day long weekend of Sunday, May 17.
$200,000 in added money will go towards the purse of the final.
The change in format will give four-year-old pacers an opportunity to race against horses their own age early in the season and for a sizable purse.
“We at Great Canadian Gaming and Flamboro Downs are excited to have ‘The Cup’ returning to Flamboro Downs in 2015,” said Bruce Barbour, Executive Director of Racing Operations for Great Canadian Gaming. “Over the years we have hosted some of the greatest three-year-old pacers in the world and after two years of uncertainty we are pleased to have ‘The Cup’ returning under a new and exciting format.
“We look forward to the excitement both on the track and in the stands that comes with the Confederation Cup.”
Unlike in previous editions of the ‘Cup’, the event will no longer be contested in heats, but rather through eliminations a week prior to the final.
Eliminations will only be necessary if eleven (11) or more pacers enter Confederation Cup XXXVII. If necessary, the eliminations will be contested on Sunday, May 10 for a purse of $20,000.
The nomination fee for Confederation Cup XXXVII is $500 CAD or $435 USD and is due February 17.
There will be two sustaining fees for Confederation Cup XXXVII for the same amount due on March 16 and April 15.
Horses that did not make the nomination fees to Confederation Cup XXXVII may be supplemented for a fee of $20,000.
All cheques are payable and should be mailed to the Woodbine Entertainment Group. Fees can also be paid online at WEG's website.
Full event details and the nomination form for Confederation Cup XXXVII will be available in the coming weeks.
Stakes payments to this stakes event can also be made through SC Stakes Online. Click here for more info on how to get started.
(With files from WEG)
Congratulations to the brain
Congratulations to the brain trust at Flamboro on the choice of a name for the new race. So what if it doesn't involve sophomore pacers or heats--details-details. An A+ for imagination is well deserved.
Great news, it was a shame
Great news, it was a shame the way the government's decision to cancel the slots hurt this great tradition. I look forward to attending this new edition of the Confederation Cup!