Ron Burke trainees took top honours in the pair of $35,000 eliminations for the Charles Juravinski Memorial Cup, a race for pacing four-year-olds, on Sunday night (May 14) at Flamboro Downs with Birthday and Bythemissal taking victories.
Birthday landed a strong draw from the pylon post and utilized the position to race prominently early. Driver Yannick Gingras yielded control to Mind Hunter early before circling past him through a :26.3 first quarter. He then kept the gelding by Sweet Lou rolling through a :55.2 half as Frozen Hanover initiated a first-over bid and loomed to within a length of the lead to three-quarters in 1:23. Birthday held Frozen Hanover to his side through the lane while Camara Moment motored from last to just miss snagging the victory and settled for second, beaten a half length in 1:51.1. Frozen Hanover finished third and Layton Hanover took fourth.
Owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Birthday won his eighth race from 38 starts and has now earned $376,337. He paid $4.40 to win.
Unlike his stablemate, Bythemissal (headline photo) had to overcome an outside post but nonetheless survived with similar speed tactics to win the other elimination in 1:51.4.
Cold Creek Queso kicked for the lead through the first turn with Pleaseletmeknow to the outside and Bythemissal three-wide in pursuit of the lead. Bythemissal crossed to the cones and onto the top before a :26.4 first quarter and faced little challenge. The gelding by Downbytheseaside stayed strong and coasted through a :55.2 half and 1:23.4 three-quarters to spin for home and win under wraps by a length. Cold Creek Queso took second with Pleaseletmeknow cutting the turn to take third and Roll With The Flow, off a first-over push, took fourth.
Bythemissal competes for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, Eric Good and Rich Lombardo Racing LLC. He won his 17th race from 20 starts and added to his lofty bankroll worth $1,243,941. Yannick Gingras drove the $2.90 winner.
The draw for the 2023 Charles Juravinski Memorial Cup final was held after Sunday's elims. The $260,000E final is slated for Sunday, May 21.
1. Fourever Boy
2. Roll With The Flow
3. Bythemissal
4. Frozen Hanover
5. Birthday
6. Pleaseletmeknow
7. Cold Creek Queso
8. Camara Moment
9. Layton Hanover
AE1. Ron
To view Sunday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results – Flamboro Downs.