Somebeachsomewhere and Shadow Play won their respective $50,000 Confederation Cup eliminations as expected on Sunday at Flamboro Downs with the draw for the final now complete.
Under a confident drive from Paul MacDonell, Somebeachsomewhere delivered at 1-9 in Sunday's first $50,000 Confederation Cup elimination.
Floating out from third while Deuce Seelster made the front, MacDonell fired his charge down the backstretch and cleared to the top just after the :26.2 opener. From there, the pace slowed in the field of six through a :56 half and with a breather like that few could outsprint 'The Beach'. Santanna Blue Chip (Jody Jamieson) made it a race with a rush on the leader down the backstretch through a 1:24.2 third station but the favourite kicked home in :26.4 to trip the timer in 1:51.3 with Deuce Seelster coming back on for second and Santanna Blue Chip staying for third ahead of The Mohegan Pan (Steve Condren).
Somebeachsomewhere - Elimination #1
"Anytime a horse goes 26 openers and closers, that's a good mile," stated trainer Brent MacGrath. "Paul [MacDonell] said he was awesome, and when he says that you know it means something."
Somebeachsomewhere is now 13-for-14 lifetime, and with the win surpasses $2 million US in lifetime earnings - making him the horse to achieve $2 million in the fewest number of lifetime starts.
Rocknroll Hanover did it in 15 lifetime starts.
Shadow Play and driver David Miller served notice that the final would be an epic battle with a track and Canadian record equaling 1:50.2 win in the second $50,000 elimination.
Though parked out through a :26.2 opener, Shadow Play fronted the field through every call, with a subsequent :54.1 half, 1:22.4 to the three-quarter mile marker and a :27.3 closer to hit the wire two lengths to the good over Keystone Horatio (Randy Waples), Anderlecht (Mike Saftic) and Lisfiny (Steve Condren).
Shadow Play - Elimination #2
"I had to work to get to the lead, when he gets there he usually relaxes," said driver David Miller after the win. "He felt like he was going easy to the half and I was surprised it was that fast. The track's in great shape and he got over it fine."
The post positions for the $493,000 final were drawn after the 10th race.
1. Tiz A Masterpiece (Brewer)
2. Somebeachsomewhere (MacDonell)
3. The Mohegan Pan (Condren)
4. Santanna Blue Chip (Jamieson)
5. Anderlecht (Saftic)
6. Deuce Seelster (Ouellette)
7. Lisfinny (MacDonald)
8. Shadow Play (Miller)
9. Keystone Horatio (Waples)
AE1. Genuwine
For the lines from Flamboro's Confederation Cup card, click here.