by Karen Briggs, WEG Media

Toronto, ON — Saturday night’s (October 18) trio of C$23,000 eliminations for the lucrative C$732,000 Governor’s Cup at Woodbine Racetrack have an embarrassment of rich pacing talent, with the potential for three classic duels.

In the first elim (race two, post time 7:51 p.m.), the precocious Nebupanezzar, a runner-up in the C$1 million Metro Pace, will go head-to-head with Champlain Stakes winner Well Said. The latter had the better luck in the post position draw, and will be leaving from post four with Ron Pierce in the bike, while Nebupanezzar and Steve Condren have to contend with post eight, on the far outside. But oddsmakers have rated both highly, and chances are good these two will battle right down to the wire for one of the 10 coveted spots in the final.

The second of the three elims (race four, post time 8:33 p.m.) features Major In Art, rated the 8-5 favorite, leaving from post one, and Millionaire Cam and Art Colony, also well-favored at 7-2 and 9-2, respectively, on his outside in post positions four and five.

All three have impressive credentials for 2-year-olds: Major In Art has already pocketed $700,600 thanks to wins in the Woodrow Wilson and the Metro Pace, while Millionaire Cam was a recent Ontario Sires Stakes Gold final winner and already has a record of 3-1-0 in just four lifetime starts. Casie Coleman trainee Art Colony is unbeaten in three lifetime starts and already has a career clocking of 1:52.2.

In the final elim (race seven, post time 9:36 p.m.), Carnivore will face off against Dial Or Nodial for all the marbles. Carnivore, a runaway winner of an $85,350 Bluegrass Stakes division in Lexington recently, is hoping to build on a two-race win streak for trainer Jack Darling, while Dial Or Nodial was also a recent Bluegrass winner and has captured seven of his eight starts for trainer Jim Campbell. The two colts are rated at 6-5 and 8-5, respectively.

Saturday night’s card also features two flights of eliminations for the Valley Victory stakes for freshman trotters. It’s a special night of racing at Woodbine and the perfect primer for next weekend’s fabulous Fall Four stakes.