Confederation Cup elims held, post positions drawn for final

Three eliminations were held for the Confederation Cup final that would be held later in the Flamboro card Sunday afternoon.  The top three finishers from each elim make it to the final.  Artriverderci went wire to wire in the first elim to win by two lengths in 153.2.

Driver Trevor Henry took Artriverderci from the rail post position and took the lead going to a :27.2 first quarter.  Just Plug It In (Mario Bailargeon) took the pocket trip while Domitian Hanvoer (Mark MacDonald) got away third.  MacDonald wasn’t happy there however and he pulled going to the half with Sergei Seelster (Brad Forward) picking up cover.  Sergei Seelster then went three wide around the last turn to get up for second, while Domitian Hanover picked up third.  Artriverderci, a three-year-old by Western Ideal is trained by Rene Laarman for Glenview Livestock Ltd of Wallenstein, Ontario.

“He’s a big colt but when I scored him down, he travels the turns good and he’s easy to handle,” driver Henry said.  “He (owner Robert Schlegal) gave me the opportunity when John (Campbell) couldn’t come, so I took it.”

With horses pressuring Laughing Art from the half mile marker on, it pushed him to find another gear and he won by three quarters of a length in 1:53.1.  Driver Jody Jamieson got Laughing Art away from the two hole first with Au Revoir Ace taking the pocket trip.  Forensic Z Tam was not set with sitting fifth and he pulled, flushing out Hagi.  The field was three in, three out going to the 1:24.4 three quarters when Forensic Z Tam pulled three wide coming around the last turn.  Laughing Art held on to win, with Forensic Z Tam coming up for second and Au Revoir Ace holding on to third.  William Elliott trains the Artsplace colt for Antonio Chiaravalle of Hamilton, Ontario.

“I was hoping no one was going to come too hard early and I could get the fractions, but I went too slow to the half I almost got caught sleeping there,” Jamieson said.  “I was a little worried about Hagi…but my horse really dug deep.  He changes leads going into the turn he really takes off in the turns, so I knew if I could keep Hagi out to the last turn I might have a shot.”

Three horses went across the wire together in the third and final Confederation Cup elimination.  In the photo for win Bigtime Ball and Paul MacDonell got up to win in 1:53.4.  Glass Pack (Luc Ouellette) lead the field through the first half of the mile as everyone sat in post position order.  Running Brook (Mark MacDonald) pulled after the half with Bigtime Ball picking up that cover.  MacDonell then pulled the Presidential Ball gelding three wide around the last turn to just get by In The Irons (Mario Baillargeon) who came up the inside and Glass Pack held on for third.  Gordon Irwin trains Bigtime Ball for the Irwin Stables Inc. of Cobourg, Ontario.

“The break didn’t really concern me the last time he was here; it was more of a green break.  That’s in the past and he’s matured a lot,” driver MacDonnell stated.  “He’s pretty much a push button horse and he’s got automatic speed.  When you have that and you can use it at any time, it makes it a lot easier to drive a horse like that.  I like the way the trip worked out for him, he was second over pretty much until the last quarter when I moved him three wide and really didn’t use a lot of energy to get that trip.  So I can’t see him being hurt by it too much.”

The field in post position order, following an open draw, are:

1 Domitian Hanover

2 Sergei Seelster

3 Lauging Art

4 In The irons

5 Glass Pack

6 Artriverderci

7 Au Revoir Ace

8 Forensic Z Tam

9 Bigtime Ball

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