Twenty of racing’s most feared four-year-olds will make their way to Flamboro Downs this Sunday looking for a top three finish in the elimination round of the Charles Juravinski Memorial Cup.
Formerly known as the Confederation Cup, the inaugural edition of the newly-named stake event will see three eliminations go postward as part of a terrific, 11-race card.
Here’s a preview of Sunday’s eliminations:
$25,000 Elimination #1 Rockyroad Hanover is the richest starter in the first elimination by virtue of a bankroll that stands at $611,994. Dexter Dunn will be paired up with the Tony Alagna trainee who was third in his 2022 during a leg of the Graduate Series at the Meadowlands. The son of Captaintreacherous-Romantic Moment went 5-for-22 last season including victories in the $276,150 Cane Pace and the $310,000 Progress Pace.
Armor Seelster comes into his elimination following a lifetime best performance of 1:50.3 at Woodbine Mohawk Park on May for driver Jody Jamieson and trainer Gabby Sasso. The son of Bettors Delight-Winbak Alice went 5-for-12 last season and stashed away over $100,000. The Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots champion of 2021 will try to add to his bankroll that sits at just over $125,000.
$25,000 Elimination #2
This contest figures to be the most intriguing of the three considering the amazing talent that will line up behind the starting gate. The hottest horse in harness racing, Linedrive Hanover, is riding a 10-race winning streak coming into the tilt, but he’s drawn Post 7 in his quest to keep the ball rolling for driver James MacDonald and trainer Anthony Beaton. The son of Betting Line-Lillian Hanover took down a new lifetime mark of 1:50.1 in his latest outinouting at Woodbine Mohawk Park. He’s banked over $122,000 to date.
Charlie May will start from Post 4 for driver Dexter Dunn and trainer Steven Carter. A beaten favourite in a leg of the Graduate Series on May 15 at the Meadowlands, the son of Mcardle-Stipple Hanover went 10-for-22 last season and banked close to $880,000. The career winner in excess of $1.2 million took a seasonal mark of 1:48.4 over Northfield Park’s half-mile oval last year.
Desperate Man, the nation’s Horse of the Year and Three-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year in 2021, will make his second start of the season for driver Trevor Henry and trainer Kathy Cecchin. The son of Shadow Play-Dreamlands Latte banked over $767,000 last season winning both the Pepsi North America Cup and later in the year the Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final.
$25,000 Elimination #3
With a couple of local qualifiers under his belt, Bulldog Hanover is set to make his 2022 debut for driver Jody Jamieson and trainer Jack Darling. The son of Shadow Play-BJs Squall put together a magnificent record of 10-2-1 last season from 15 starts and banked over $680,000. The career winner in excess of $931,000 has drawn Post 6.
Powertrain was a beaten favourite in his 2022 debut, but he’s a speedball that figures to get a lot of attention for the duo of driver Sylvain Filion and trainer Nick Gallucci. The son of Shadow Play-Mmillion Blue Chip totes a $207,375 bankroll into his assignment and a sharp race record of 1:48.2 earned last summer at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
For the full card of entries, click the following link: Sunday Entries - Flamboro Downs.