All Bets Off established a new track record for aged pacers with a powerful 1:50.4 victory in the first of two $20,000 eliminations for the Confederation Cup on Sunday evening at Flamboro Downs.
Yannick Gingas drove the four-year-old millionaire son of Bettors Delight for Burke Racing Stable LLC, Frank Baldachino, The Panhellenic Stable Corp. and Estate of Rosemary J. Shelswell.
Leaving from post five and refusing to take back into a gaping pocket spot behind early leader Three Of Clubs (Doug McNair), Ron Burke trainee All Bets Off forged his way to the top after a :26.2 first quarter duel. Once in control, the 4-5 favourite carved out middle splits of :55.1 and 1:23 while National Debt (Chris Christoforou) advanced first over and Big Boy Dreams (Sylvain Filion) was flushed out three-wide off cover by Mattamerican (Jody Jamieson). However, All Bets Off began to open up coming off the final turn and no one could catch him. Bettorever (Corey Callahan), who was locked in seventh at the pylons, managed to maneuver to the outside and came on to finish second over National Debt, three and a half lengths behind the winner. Big Boy Dreams took fourth in a three-way photo finish for the last guaranteed spot in final. Mattamerican was fifth.
Lets Drink On It later rallied home off cover to capture to the second elimination in 1:51.4 with Billy Davis Jr. aboard. The son of Art Official is owned by trainer Tina Seekman, Larry Bond, Hal Hewitt and Vincent Boido Jr.
Gingras again won an early battle for the lead as his mount, 3-5 favourite Limelight Beach, had the inside advantage over his rivals stacked wide into the first turn before falling in line behind. Limelight Beach reached the first quarter in :26.1 and was then confronted by Ideal Cowboy (Corey Callahan), who advanced from third and battled nose-to-nose past the half in :54.1 and three-quarters in 1:22.3. Lets Drink On It, meanwhile, moved up second over after getting away sixth and then swept wide around the duelling leaders turning for home en route to the five-length victory. Somewhere Fancy (Doug McNair) closed from the back of the pack to finish second while Ideal Cowboy and Limelight Beach completed the top four. Nirvana Seelster (Jody Jamieson) was fifth and won the draw for the remaining starting spot in next weekend's final.
The $200,000 (added) final will take place on May 17 at Flamboro Downs. The inaugural Confederation Cup was contested in 1977 and quickly became an annual showcase for the finest three-year-olds until 2012. After a two-year hiatus, the Cup returns as a stakes event for four-year-old pacers. The new Confederation Cup is sponsored by Great Canadian Gaming and administrated by the Woodbine Entertainment Group.
The post position draw for the Confederation Cup will be broadcast live on CHCH News at 12 p.m. on Wednesday.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Flamboro Downs.