DUNDAS, ON — Flamboro Downs offers up a tremendous program of harness racing on Sunday evening, highlighted by the $558,000 Confederation Cup and a pair of $130,000 Gold Finals.
Among the 17 starters in the Confederation Cup eliminations are seven Ontario Sires Stakes regulars, including reigning Gold Final winner Famous Seelster. The Confederation Cup Eliminations go postward as Races 8 and 9 and the Final is Race 11 on the 6:20 pm program. Before that, the three-year-old trotting colts and two-year-old pacing colts will warm up the enthusiastic Dundas crowd in Races 2 and 6.
In addition to six Confederation Cup contenders, trainer Bill Robinson will harness five freshman pacing colts in the sixth race. Leading the charge from the Hagersville trainer’s stable is July 17 Gold Final winner Putasmileon, who captured his elimination with an easy 1:58 effort.
“He’d put a smile on your face if you owned him,” quips Robinson. “He’s got lots of speed. He’s got gate speed, but he doesn’t need the front, he can race from the middle. He’s just a real nice solid horse.”
Regular reinsman Randy Waples and the Grinfromeartoear son, owned by the Fred Monteleone Stable LLC of Pompano Beach, FL, will make their bid for a second Gold Final title from Post 7 on Sunday, but Robinson is not losing any sleep fretting about the outside post.
“It’s going to be a test for him, but I’m not worried,” he says. “I’m not worried about him at all.”
Robinson trainee Cozy Xample also captured his elimination last Sunday and the 2002 O’Brien award winner as Canada’s top trainer says the Camluck colt could be a threat to pick up the lion’s share of the $130,000 purse.
“Last week I thought he went a real big trip, making a break (due to interference) and coming back to win it,” he explains. “He can leave or he can be taken back, he’s pretty handy. He’s a nice colt, he could win it all.”
Robert Hamather of Exeter bred and owns Cozy Xample and Jack Moiseyev will pick up the drive on Sunday, sending the colt after his second win of the season from Post 6.
Sabayon Hanover will start closest to the rail of the Robinson contingent and the trainer says if driver Keith Oliver can wrestle out the same trip he secured last week the Camluck son could have a shot at the action.
“Last week was the perfect trip for him. He can’t bust out of the gate, he’s not there yet, but he’s getting there,” says Robinson, who conditions the colt for the Lothlorien Equestrian Centre of Mississauga and Jeffrey Snyder of New York, NY. “He’s coming along. He was a slow starter at the beginning of the year, but I like him.”
Robinson will also harness Front Row from Post 5 and Fantasy Island from Post 8 in the $130,000 battle. Among the other colts Robinson and his crew will have their eye on is elimination winner Groovie Day, who starts from the advantageous Post 1.
“Billy (Budd) has got a real nice colt and post position means a lot on a half-mile racetrack,” he says. “I’ve got a couple that can leave out of there, so we’ll see what happens.”
Elimination winner At A Boy Eric also drew Post 1 in the three-year-old trotting colt Final and owners Wellwood Stables Inc. of Cambridge and Barry Hearn of St. Pauls Station would love to see the Earl son capture his first Gold Final during the exciting Confederation Cup program.
At A Boy Eric delivered a solid 2:00 victory in the elimination round to score his third victory on a half-mile track this season. Ross Battin will be back in the race bike behind the winner of $163,518.
JM Vangogh captured the other elimination in his usual come-from-behind style, sticking a head in front of favourite Meadowview Sunny at the wire to score the 1:58.2 victory. The winner of the July 6 Gold Final at Windsor Raceway, JM Vangogh is owned by Paul Chambers of Harrington, DE and John Mello of Georgetown, MA. Hall of Fame horseman Ron Waples will pilot the Earl son from Post 5 in Sunday’s second race.
Last season’s Ontario Sires Stakes champions, Meadowview Sunny and Doug Brown, will make their bid for a second Gold Final victory from Post 4.
Flamboro Downs kicks off its Confederation Cup program at 6:20 pm, spotlighting the three-year-old trotting colt stars in Race 2 and the top two-year-old pacing colts in Race 6. The $40,000 Confederation Cup Eliminations go postward as Races 8 and 9, with the top four finishers from each elimination coming back two races later to vie for the $558,000 Final.