The Raceway at Western Fair District will play host to eight pacers with half-mile track credentials that set up for a memorable renewal of the $150,000 Camluck Classic, sponsored by Seelster Farms, on May 27.
The Grand Circuit event is back at the London, Ont. landmark after a two-year absence, with a field certain to make up for lost time. The Camluck Classic post position draw will take place on the The Raceway’s pre-game show (just before 6:50 p.m. Eastern post time) on the Monday, May 23 simulcast and the identity of the remaining “Mystery Horse” who will round out the eight-horse field will also be revealed at that time.
The confirmed starters are listed in alphabetical order:
American History (p, 3, 1:47m; $1,412,330) is owned by Brad Grant of Milton, Ont.; he captured Harrington Raceway’s 2019 Bobby Quillen Memorial in 1:49.3h, his personal-best winning time on a half; this year, he’s a two-time winner at The Meadowlands; cut the mile and just missed in 1:51.2h MGM Borgata Series leg at Yonkers Raceway, where he is co-holder of the 1:49.3h track record.
Funatthebeach N (p, 7, 1:50.0h; $738,294) is owned by Mark Ford of Campbell Hall, New York; he has six 2022 victories at Yonkers, including a 15-1 upset in the MGM Borgata Series final; won his first start there last year, later establishing his lifetime mark in a Yonkers Open Handicap October 25.
Jimmy Freight (p, 4, 1:48.1s; $1,633,125) is owned by Adriano Sorella of Guelph, Ontario; the 2018 O'Brien Three-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year is currently riding a five-race win streak in the Preferred/Free For All Pace at Woodbine Mohawk Park; his fastest half-mile track victory was the 2018 Messenger elimination at Yonkers (1:50.3h).
Ocean Rock (p, 4, 1:48.0f; $1,226,147) is owned by Sandra S. Burnett of Wilmington, Ohio; his fastest half-mile track win is his 1:48.1h win in the 2021 Myron Charna President's Pace at Northfield Park, in which he matched the world record for four-year-old pacers; he also set the 1:51.1h world record for two-year-old pacing geldings there in 2018.
Poseidon Seelster (p, 4, 1:47.4m; $335,480) is owned by Donald Lindsey of Fergus, Ont., Paul W. Kleinpaste of Orangeville, Ont., William V. Alempijevic of Forest Hills, New York and Garth Bechtel of Meaford, Ont.; his quickest win on a half was April 4 when he took a leg of the MGM Borgata Series at Yonkers in 1:51h.
Tattoo Artist (p, 4, 1:47.1m; $1,320,564) is owned by Let It Ride Stables of Boca Raton, Florida, Frank J. Cannon of Sanford, Florida and Diamond Creek Racing of Wellsville, Pennsylvania; 2020’s O'Brien Three-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year equalled Yonkers’ 1:49.3h track record in one of his three Open Handicap victories there in late 2021; he cut the mile and finished close second in last year’s Bobby Quillen Memorial at Harrington Raceway.
This Is The Plan (p, 6, 1:47.3h; $2,705,992) is owned by Burke Racing Stable of Fredericktown, Pennsylvania, Weaver Bruscemi LLC of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby of Ocean Ridge, Florida and Lawrence R. Karr of Randolph, New Jersey; the reigning half-mile world champion took his mark in the 2021 Battle of Lake Erie at Northfield Park; he also captured the MGM Borgata Series final and Saratoga Raceway’s Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial last year.
(With files from Western Fair)