The results are in for the I Love Canadian Harness Racing Fan Club’s Online and On-Track handicapping contests! Rockin Ron rocked his way to the finish line along with our two contest winners on Sunday at Flamboro Downs for the 38th edition of the Confederation Cup.
There were more than 450 entrants for the Online Handicapping contest and over 300 fans entered the on-track contest.
Five players scored a perfect 20 in the Online Handicapping contest, including Keith Manders of Watford, Ont., who was deemed the winner from a blind draw.
Keith grew up in the racing industry and has been involved as an owner over the past seven years. He explained that he chose Rockin Ron to win the Cup for a few reasons: he feels trainer Ron Burke and driver Yannick Gingras make a great pair and he felt they would overcome Wiggle It Jiggleit since he was starting from the second tier in post 9.
Congratulations to Keith who has won a $50 gift card for the Canadian racetrack of his choice and a Fan Club swag package!
Below are the contest answers and Keith’s selections:
Select the post position that will return the highest number of wins on the day. (2 points)
Keith: Post 1
Answer: Five winners on the day’s card left from Post 1. (Winners included Jabas Luck in Race 3, Jolted in Race 4, Big Rich in Race 5, Stir And Serve in Race 7 and Woggy Rocks in Race 8.)
Select the winner of Race 4, the Alliance Series Final for pacing horses/geldings (3 points)
Keith: #1 - Jolted
Answer: The Isabelle Darveau-trained Jolted and driver/co-owner Robert Shepherd captured the Alliance Series Final.
Select the horse that will reach the quarter pole first in the Confederation Cup final. (3 points)
Keith: #4 - Rockin Ron
Answer:Rockin Ron clocked an opening quarter of 26.2, the same time that Limelight Beach led the field past the opening quarter in the 2015 Cup.
Select the winner of the Confederation Cup. (3 points)
Keith: #4 - Rockin Ron
Answer: Rockin Ron claimed victory establishing a new track and Canadian record with a 1.50.1 triumph.
Will the Confederation Cup go faster or slower than the half-mile world record of 1:49 posted by Wiggle It Jiggleit in 2015 (3 points)
Keith: No, it will go slower
Answer: The Confederation Cup was timed in 1.50.1, which was slower then Wiggleit Jiggleit’s World Record for a half-mile track.
Select the leading money-winning driver for the day’s races (3 points)
Keith: Yannick Gingras
Answer: Yannick Gingras drove horses to earnings of $135,480 and won three of five races including including the Confederation Cup.
Select the leading money-winning trainer for the day’s races (3 points)
Keith: Ron Burke
Answer: Ron Burke trained Rockin Ron, winner of the Confederation Cup, which resulted in a winning cheque of $122,000 for the owners. Burke also successfully defended his title as Cup winner for the second year running.
The Fan Club also hosted an on-track contest at Flamboro where fans had to select the winner of the Confederation Cup. Congratulations to Doreen Barton of Toronto for selecting Rockin Ron. Racing has been in Doreen’s blood for a long time as she spent time as a child at tracks like Dufferin Park Racetrack and Greenwood Raceway. Now, her outing for the week is spent at local tracks with her niece and nephew enjoying the horses and eating trackside. “I love to rate the horses and follow them, it’s rewarding to watch them because they are such beautiful animals” Doreen explained. Doreen, a regular at Flamboro Downs enjoyed her evening and won a $50 I Love Canadian Harness Racing Fan Club prize package.
The Fan Club’s next stop is The Raceway at Western Fair for Molson Pace night on Friday, May 27. Stop by our booth to enter in our contests, check out some swag and hear more about upcoming events and contests!