Ellamony for older pacing mares highlights Flambo Friday card

The inaugural running of the Ellamony Stakes highlights an evening of family fun Friday at Flamboro Downs. Named in honor of the great Canadian racing legend, the $118,000(C) Ellamony Stakes has drawn a terrific field of North America’s top pacing mares and headlines the $370,000(C) “Spring Into Summer” card of racing.

“Spring Into Summer offers something for everyone,” said Chris Roberts, director of racing operations. “What better way to welcome the summer racing season than with a night full of stakes races, bands, contests, food and tons of entertainment for the kids?

“We launched this event last year and were thrilled with the results.  In 2009, we decided to add the Ellamony Stakes to the lineup.  It’s an opportunity for all of us at Flamboro to pay tribute to not only the greatest Canadian filly of all time, but also the patriarch of the Flamboro Downs family--Ellamony’s owner and breeder Charles Juravinski.”

A multiple stakes champion with titles in the Breeders Crown, Roses Are Red and Mistletoe Shalee, just to name a few, Ellamony ended her career with 53 wins and nearly $1.5 million in earnings.  She was a two-time Dan Patch Award winner south of the border, a three-time O’Brien Award champion at home and the 1995 Canadian Horse Of The Year.

“To be part of a story like hers, happens only once in a lifetime--if you’re lucky,” said Juravinski, who will preside over a trackside ceremony prior to the stakes final. “Finally, after all these years, the ultimate tribute will be paid to this incredible champion. I will personally preside over the burial of Ellamony’s ashes where she belongs, inside the winner’s circle at Flamboro Downs. It will be an emotional moment and I’m looking forward to it.”

Post time for Friday’s card of racing is 7:25 pm.  The Spring Into Summer festivities, including pony rides, face painting, tattoo artists, free candy shish-kabobs and craft centre open at 7:00 pm.  For more information, access the following link: http://www.flamborodowns.com/promotions/race_promo/. (Flamboro Downs)

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