Trotters bypass CTC byes

Glidemaster, Chocolatier and Majestic Son were all able to receive byes directly into the $1 million(C) Canadian Trotting Classic final, but instead the connections of all three sophomores decided to race in the single elimination Saturday night at Mohawk. As a result of the top three giving up their free pass, Blue Mac Lad and Global Glide will receive the byes.

The draw was delayed a day until Wednesday until the Ontario Racing Commission ruled on the side of Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG) in its decision to exclude trainer Bill Elliott’s entries, which included Canadian Trotting Classic contender Here Comes Herbie. Elliott had only recently begun training the colt after he had been in trainer Trond Smedshammer’s barn, but Elliott had an elevated TCO2 test at the end of August at Mohawk on another of his horses, which prompted WEG’s decision.

Trainer Blair Burgess’s decision to enter Hambletonian winner Glidemaster paid off when he drew post one. Canadian standout Majestic Son will leave from post four, while Chocolatier is saddled with the outside post 10.

The top-eight finishers in the elim will return for the Sept. 23 final. The elim winner will receive a bonus as his connections will be able to pick his post for the final.

Here is the complete draw for the Canadian Trotting Classic elim:


1 Glidemaster (John Campbell)
2 Bacardi Lindy (Daniel Dube)
3 Instant Photo (Roger Mayotte)
4 Majestic Son (Trevor Ritchie)
5 Berto Primo (Bill O’Donnell)
6 RC Royalty (Dan Daley)
7 Was It A Dream (Paul MacDonell)
8 Dr. Robert Johns (TBA)
9 Enough Talk (Matthew Butcher Jr.)
10 Chocolatier (D.R. Ackerman)

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