O'Brien Award winner Warrawee Needy makes his 2012 debut Saturday at Georgian Downs in the elimination round for the $600,000 Upper Canada Cup
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Warrawee Needy headlines the last of three $25,000 eliminations for Ontario sired three-year-old pacing colts and geldings as the early 3-5 favourite. Entering the race off a career-best 1:49.2 qualifying effort, the E Dees Cam-Great Memories colt will start from post four with Jody Jamieson driving for father Carl, who trains and shares ownership with Thomas Kyron of Toronto, Dr. Michael Wilson of Rockwood and Floyd Marshall of Jarvis.
Last year Warrawee Needy won nine of his 12 races and banked $535,000. The Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final champion earned year-end divisional honours and is one of the top-ranked colts eligible to this year's Pepsi North America Cup in Trot Magazine's Spring Book.
Warrawee Needy will face a field of six in his elimination, which includes last year's Battle of Waterloo and Champlain Stakes winner Machapelo, with Scott Zeron listed to drive for trainer Linda Toscano and owner-breeder Enviro Stables Ltd. of South Hampton, New York. The $500,000-plus earner, second choice at 8-5 in the morning line, will start just outside of 'Needy'.
OSS Grassroots Championship winner Secretsoftheknight is the 9-5 favourite in the first elimination. The Gregg McNair trainee will start from the inside post position with Doug McNair in the sulky for owners Tony Lawrence of Hanover, Leonard Gamble of Etobicoke, John Newell of Waterloo and Graham Hopkins of Chesley.
The lightly raced Tony Alagna trainee, Mel Mara, is the early 8-5 favourite in the second elimination and will start from post two. His driver has not been listed yet. Mel Mara enters the race off a second-place finish in the Simpson Stakes.
Here is a look at how the colts will line up in all three UCC eliminations:
Race 2
1. Secretsoftheknight
2. Rebel Jet
3. Arthur
4. Astor
5. Best Ears
6. Lyons Josephjnr
Race 4
1. Fanelli Royal
2. Mel Mara
3. Huxley
4. Dontmachmeman
5. Giddy Up Blackfly
6. Aahm A Gesture
7. Machs Beach Boy
Race 6
1. Michaels Power
2. Hard To Mach
3. Thunder Seelster
4. Warrawee Needy
5. Machapelo
6. R Gauwitz Hanover
First race post time is 7:25 p.m.
To view Saturday's harness racing entries, click on the following link: Saturday Entries - Georgian Downs.