by Jeff Renton, media/communications, the Woodbine Entertainment Group
Campbellville, ON — A pair of C$55,000 elimination divisions of the Maple Leaf Trot were drawn today in the Mohawk Race Office.
Two seven horse fields will go to post this Saturday evening over the Campbellville seven-eighths, with the top five finishers from each elimination advancing to the C$861,000 final, the richest of the stake’s 53 installments, which is scheduled for Saturday, September 18.
The eliminations have been carded as races two (8:01 p.m.) and four (8:43 p.m.).
Under the new conditions for high-end stakes races on the WEG circuit, elimination winners will again be able to select their post positions for the final.
A solid group of seven will highlight the first split.
Amigo Hall, winner of the 2003 Hambletonian, has drawn the rail and trainer Blair Burgess has listed Mike Lachance to be behind the son of Balanced Image for the first time this year.
Tsar D’Inverne, who is co-owned by Colorado Avalanche forward Peter Forsberg, will be making his North American debut and will start from the six hole. In July, Tsar D’Inverne captured the European Championship for five-year-olds in Italy and Luc Ouellette has been listed to drive the son of Arnaqueur on Saturday by conditioner Robert Bergh.
JM Vangogh, winner of the $250,000 Classic Series’ Trotting Classic this past June at Mohawk, has drawn the outside seven hole and will be driven by his trainer, Ron Waples.
Millionaires H P Paque and Abbey Road C will also be in contention and have drawn posts four and five respectively. Brian Sears has been listed to drive H P Paque, while conditioner Keith Jones will be at Abbey Road C’s lines.
Illinois shipper Bon Kens Red Baron and driver Kevin Wallis have drawn post two, while the always dangerous War Paint has drawn the three hole and conditioner Dave Tingley has listed Chris Christoforou to be in the bike.
The complete field for the first elimination is as follows:
PP – Horse – Listed Driver – Trainer
1 – Amigo Hall – M. Lachance – B. Burgess
2 – Bon Kens Red Baron – K. Wallis – M. Rodgers
3 – War Paint – C. Christoforou – D. Tingley
4 – H P Paque – B. Sears – T. Smedshammer
5 – Abbey Road C – K. Jones – K. Jones
6 – Tsar D’Inverne – L. Ouellette – R. Bergh
7 – JM Vangogh – Ro. Waples – Ro. Waples
The second elimination will also house a plethora of talent.
Mr Muscleman, the winner of the 2003 Canadian Trotting Classic, has drawn the rail and conditioner Mike Vanderkemp has listed Ron Pierce to perform the driving duties.
On the outside, Swedish star Revenue S will score from the seven hole for trainer Lutfi Kolgjini. Victorious in the $300,000 Nat Ray on Hambletonian day at the Meadowlands, Revenue S is a career earner of more than $1.7 milion and Kolgjini has yet to list a driver for the son of Reve D Udon.
Fool’s Goal, the 2002 Maple Leaf Trot winner and career earner of nearly $3 million in purses, has drawn the two hole for conditioner Jim Doherty. As per usual, Doherty has listed Jack Moiseyev to be at Fool’s Goal’s lines.
Mr Eero, a homebred of Georgetown, Ontario’s Erkki Laakkonen, has drawn the three hole for trainer Gary Bourgon. Paul MacDonell has been listed by Bourgon to drive the four-year-old son of Conway Hall.
Bubba Dunn (post four, Ron Waples), Mutineer (post five, George Brennan) and Elegant Man (post six, Mike Lachance) will all be in the mix as well.
The complete field for the second elimination is as follows:
PP – Horse – Listed Driver – Trainer
1 – Mr Muscleman – R. Pierce – M. Vanderkemp
2 – Fools Goal – J. Moiseyev – J. Doherty
3 – Mr Eero – P. MacDonell – G. Bourgon
4 – Bubba Dunn – Ro. Waples – J. Shultz
5 – Mutineer – G. Brennan – M. Harder
6 – Elegant Man – M. Lachance – R. Bencal
7 – Revenue S – T.B.A. – L. Kolgjini
NOTE: All participants in the eliminations will be racing from the Retention Barn.