Trainer Ron Burke sent the victors of both $20,000 Confederation Cup eliminations on Sunday, May 12 at Flamboro Downs, with Done Well and Dorsoduro Hanover winning their respective splits.
Sent the 2-5 favourite, Ron Burke trainee Done Well seized the front early and went quick fractions to handily take the first elimination in 1:51.4.
Driver Dexter Dunn shot the four-year-old Well Said gelding to the lead and seated The Downtown Bus into the pocket charging to a :26.4 opening quarter. He maintained his speed as the field paced strung out to a :55.2.
American History, racing seventh, advanced first over approaching the second circuit and flushed cover from Hitman Hill, who began to retreat heading to the third quarter. The Downtown Bus remained the only threat to Done Well passing a 1:23.4 third quarter as Pretty Handsome fought American History and This Is The Plan three wide into the final turn. Done Well strolled to the wire under pursuit from The Downtown Bus while Pretty Handsome held third from American History and This Is The Plan bearing inside.
Owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Jerry & Theresa Silva Stables, Purnel & Libby and Wingfield Brothers LLC, Done Well won his eighth race from 23 starts, earning $489,529. He paid $2.80 to win.
The Confederation Cup, a stake for four-year-old pacers, will feature the top four finishers from each elimination and a fifth-place finisher drawn by lot.
Overcoming slight interference on the second lap, Dorsoduro Hanover hustled past passing lane-shooter Rockin Speed to take the second Confederation Cup elimination in 1:53.4.
Jimmy Freight fired from post eight for the lead with Lather Up, from post seven, also showing speed along with Rockin Speed to his inside and Dorsoduro Hanover from the pylons. Clearing control to a :27.3 quarter, Jimmy Freight soon yielded command to Ghost Dance, parked from the first turn, who then led the field to a :55.4 half.
Dorsoduro Hanover pulled first over from fourth moving to the second circuit with Courtly Choice in tow. Lather Up flushed outside circling the turn but soon went off stride, impeding Dorsoduro Hanover’s progress slightly turning to the backstretch. Ghost Dance continued to lead past a 1:24.1 third quarter while Jimmy Freight tipped from the pocket and Dorsoduro Hanover surged three wide for the stretch drive. Dorsoduro Hanover edged to the lead in late stretch as Rockin Speed sprinted through the open stretch for second. Ghost Dance held third from Jimmy Freight and Courtly Choice drifting in his stretch bid.
A gelded son of Somebeachsomewhere, Dorsoduro Hanover won his 13th race from 38 starts, earning $1,370,306. Matt Kakaley drove the $10.90 winner for trainer Ron Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, Jerry & Theresa Silva Stable, Purnel & Libby, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and Wingfield Brothers LLC.
Following the eliminations, the finalists—including the fifth-place finisher drawn by lot—were announced, and will draw for their post positions on Wednesday, May 15. The finalists appear below:
Done Well
Dorsoduro Hanover
The Downtown Bus
Rockin Speed
Pretty Handsome
Ghost Dance
American History
Jimmy Freight
This Is The Plan
(AE) Courtly Choice
Flamboro also contested its usual feature events on the elimination undercard. American Wiggle ($2.80) opened the night with a first-over grind in the $12,700 Preferred 2 Pace to win in 1:54 by a neck over Fine Diamond diving through the open stretch. A five-year-old gelding by American Ideal, he stalked pacesetter On The Virg through fractions of :27.4, :56.4 and 1:24.4 before striking to his 13th victory from 63 starts. Co-owned by trainer Daniel Martin with Gaston Bibeau, he has earned $261,936. Jonathan Drury sat in the bike.
With a six-horse field scratched to four and down to three after a horse lost stride, Charlie Is A Joker ($20.80) upset 1-9 favourite Sicario to win the $12,700 Preferred 2 Trot in 1:58.4. The 11-year-old Angus Hall gelding sat third in the on-gait trio led by Sicario through splits of :28.3 and :58.4. Driver Scott Young then brushed the Benoit Baillargeon trainee past Sicario while the tempo remained slow to a 1:29.1 third quarter and led the sprint to the wire. Racing for Thomas and Elizabeth Rankin, he won his 48th race from 213 starts and pushed his bankroll to $632,702.
Imsporty ($9.30) went wire to wire in the $9,400 Preferred 3 Pace, besting odds-on favourite and pocket-sitter Acting Out in 1:55.4. Starting from post one, he secured an uncontested lead and posted splits of :29.1, :59.1 and 1:27.3 on the front before sprinting to his 21st win from 126 starts. Jonathan Drury drove the $275,139 earner for trainer Carmen Auciello and owner Percy Elkins.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Flamboro Downs.