Two $35,000 eliminations for the 2024 Charles Juravinski Memorial Cup for four-year-old pacers highlighted the Sunday, May 12 card at Flamboro Downs, with All Class and No Control scoring in their respective elims.
All Class and Bob McClure emerged first from the first elimination skirmish which served as the fifth race on the card. The complexion of the race changed early as Seven Colors (Trevor Henry) made a miscue immediately at the start, while Ervin Hanover (James MacDonald) exploded to the lead from post seven, clearing up the backstretch before laying down a blistering :25.4 first quarter. Ervin Hanover remained loose on the lead to the halfway point, leading by 3-3/4 lengths to that station in :54. All Class was the first to move on the leader, marching to the leader's wheel first-over at three-quarters in 1:22.
All Class continued to make up ground on the final turn, as the leaders turned for home noses apart. Ervin Hanover remained tough on the lead, but All Class proved to be relentless, battling home with a :28.2 final quarter to defeat the pacesetter by a length in 1:50.3. Hungry Man (Doug McNair) finished third, while Seven Colors recovered from his early miscue to finish fourth and advance to the final. All Class paid $17.50 to win.
Trained by Per Engblom, All Class earned his third victory in five starts thus far for his four-year-old campaign. The stallion by Heston Blue Chip out of the Bettors Delight mare, Winners Over, is owned by Morrison Racing Stables and has now banked $194,362 for his career.
No Control and Louis-Philippe Roy proved to have total control of things in the second elimination, which immediately followed the first. Leaving from post four, No Control landed in the third spot on the backstretch while 16-1 shot Liteningonthebeach (Trevor Henry) set the tone up front with a :26.4 first quarter. Liteningonthebeach had no challengers on the way to the halfway point which he led the field to in :55. No Control was given his cue just beyond the halfway point and surged first-over to take the lead at three-quarters to the outside of Liteningonthebeach in 1:23.1.
No Control took complete command on the final turn, crossing over to the pylons to turn for home two lengths clear of 3-5 favourite Coach Stefanos (James MacDonald), who was left in pursuit first-over at that point. No Control paced strongly to the wire from there, getting home in :27.3 to take the victory by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:50.4. Dupree Hanover (Doug McNair) rallied to get by Coach Stefanos for second and Huntinthelastdolar (Bob McClure) finished fourth. No Control paid $5.80 to win as the bettors' second choice.
Yet to finish worse than second in 2024, the Tan Micallef trainee earned his second victory of the season through five starts. Micallef co-owns the son of Control The Moment-Dani Hanover along with Keira Liberte, Ian Clark and James Clarke. The victory vaulted No Control's career bankroll to $185,007 and gave him eight career wins through 16 lifetime outings.
The field for the $263,000 final on Sunday, May 19 was drawn during the Sunday card, with elimination winners No Control and All Class drawing post positions four and five, respectively. The Travis Alexander-trained Downrightdelicious was the fifth-place finisher from the two eliminations to advance to the final.
The complete field for the final is listed below in post position order with listed drivers and trainers.
$263,000 Charles Juravinski Final - Sunday, May 19
Post - Horse - Listed Driver - Trainer
1. Seven Colors - Trevor Henry - Andrew Harris
2. Coach Stefanos - James MacDonald - Erv Miller
3. Huntinthelastdolar - Bob McClure - Per Engblom
4. No Control - Louis-Philippe Roy - Tan Micallef
5. All Class - Bob McClure - Per Engblom
6. Downrightdelicious - Jody Jamieson - Travis Alexander
7. Dupree Hanover - Doug McNair - Richard Moreau
8. Ervin Hanover - James MacDonald - David Menary
9. Hungry Man - Doug McNair - Richard Moreau
Zuccarello Upsets In Billings Pace
Matt Zuccarello launched a successful off-the-speed assault in rein to Devils Peak to win as the second longest shot on the board in the $8,000 Billings Amateur Driving Series Pace at Flamboro Downs on Sunday.
Leaving from post six, Zuccarello pulled back with Devils Peak while Choreographer (Daniel St. Pierre) bolted for the lead to a :29.4 first quarter and promptly settled on the engine. Garretts Guide (Anthony Verruso) then launched off the pegs as the tempo slowed and rushed from near last towards first with Devils Peak in tow to a 1:00.1 half. But that furious move emptied Garretts Guide and he faltered up the backstretch, forcing Devils Peak three-wide to keep position.
Choreographer sped to three-quarters in 1:28.4 though slowed through the final turn all while Devils Peak continued to grind. Devils Peak inched relentlessly towards Choreographer through the stretch and collared the leader to then edge to a win in 1:58.1 by three-quarters of a length. Dreamy Fella (Nello Guglielmi) rode a pocket trip to take third and Rising Dragon (Julie Walker) finished fourth.
Isaac Waxman trains Devils Peak, a 10-year-old gelding by Camluck, for owners Carmelo Scime. He paid $47.60 to win.
Verruso, President of the American Harness Drivers Club (AHDC), presented a donation of $1,000 to the Ronald McDonald House, a charity with hundreds of chapters around the globe focused on aiding families of children who are receiving hospital care with amenities including housing and meals. Verruso was joined by members of the Billings Series and the AHDC following the race to present the cheque.
"Supporting charities like Ronald McDonald House is one of the fun things about being an amateur driver," said Verruso. "We get to enjoy all of the thrills of racing and then get to help people in need at the same time."
The AHDC is an amateur harness racing drivers club, meaning the portion of purses the drivers of the club earn in races are reserved for charitable donations. In 2023, the AHDC has donated several thousand dollars to numerous causes ranging from racehorse aftercare to cancer research to helping those with housing insecurity.
Billings action travels to Woodbine Mohawk Park on Monday, May 13 for a $15,000 event, carded as the fourth race on the 10-race card. First-race post time at Woodbine Mohawk Park is 7:10 p.m. (EDT).
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Flamboro Downs.
(Standardbred Canada and CKG Billings & AHDC)
Its My Show
It's too bad that Flamboro wasn't able to lure Its My Show to the Juravinski. Rather than racing for a $263,000 purse next week, he'll race for a $100,000 KY Sires Stake purse atOak Grove today.