by Chris Roberts, director of racing operations, Flamboro Downs

Dundas, ON — A deep and talented field of 18 will converge on Flamboro Downs this Sunday (August 15) in pursuit of the track’s most significant piece of hardware, Confederation Cup XXXIV.

“It’s the most competitive group that I’ve seen in my time — and I’ve been here a while!,” said Race Secretary Sheri Minler-Grabatin. “We’ve got horses exiting the Adios, the Oliver Wendell Holmes, the Meadowlands Pace and the O.S.S., so it’s a great cross section and a really nice field.”

The 18-horse contingent will be split into two C$50,000 eliminations on a national telecast tomorrow morning as part of CH Morning Live. The Hamilton-based broadcaster will be live at Flamboro Downs from 6–9 a.m., with draw segments shown live at 7:45 a.m. and 8:22 a.m. For those outside of southern Ontario, CH Morning Live can be seen on the Bell TV platform at Channel 218.

Seventeen of the 18 declared starters had been paid into the Confederation Cup by way of nomination and sustaining payments. New Jersey Classic winner BG’s Folly was a last minute addition via a C$25,000 supplemental nomination.

“We’re delighted to have both the quality and quantity of entries that we’ve received,” said Bruce Barbour, Executive Director of Racing Operations. “We look forward to welcoming Ontario racing fans and the greater-Hamilton community to Flamboro Downs on Sunday. It’s going to be a fabulous day of racing.”

Raced in heats, each Confederation Cup elimination will carry a purse of C$50,000. The top four finishers from each elimination, plus one fifth place finisher drawn by lot, will return later on the Sunday card for the C$547,000 final.

The starters for Confederation Cup XXXIV are listed here in alphabetical order: Adrenaline, Aracache Hanover, BG’s Folly, BP Chimo, Cassic Rock Nroll, Dreamlands Art, Foreign Officer, Four Starz Trace, I’m Gorgeous, Keystone Raptor, Malicious, Outrageous Art, S N P Bluechip, Stompin Tom Creek, Stonebridge Tonic, Think Back, Tobago Cays and Wellthereyougo.