by Greg Gangle, WEG media

Campbellville, ON — There will be four Metro Stakes eliminations taking place this Saturday (August 28) at Mohawk Racetrack along with three She’s A Great Lady Stakes eliminations and just one Canadian Pacing Derby elimination.

Headlining the C$40,000 Metro Stakes eliminations is the local horse, Big Jim. The son of Western Ideal was a convincing winner in his division of the Nassagaweya Stakes this past Monday, equaling his life’s mark of 1:51.1.

After the race, driver Phil Hudon was very optimistic about Big Jim‘s chances in the Metro Stakes.

“He did that very handily and he needed that start and needed the work to prepare for Saturday’s Metro,” Hudon told WEG’s media department. “It looks like there are some real nice colts out there this year. Bruce Saunders looks like he has a real nice colt so I think there are a couple that look pretty good but I’m not scared to face them by no means.”

Big Jim has career earnings of $82,072 for owner Jim Carr and trainer James ‘Friday’ Dean. He has drawn post seven in the first Metro Stakes elimination.

Bruce Saunders’ pupil Lookinforadventure will be looking to keep his four race undefeated streak alive for his connections. The son of Rocknroll Hanover was an $85,000 yearling purchase and his most recent victory came at the Meadowlands in winning his division of the Niatross in 1:51.3.

Lookinforadventure has career earnings of $157,250 for owner Frank Bellino and driver John Campbell. He has drawn post seven in his elimination, as well.

Trainer Casie Coleman will be looking forward to the C$35,000 She’s A Great Lady Stakes eliminations. Coleman’s trio of fillies — Pretty Katherine, Idyllic and Mater Deo — swept all three divisions of the Eternal Camnation Stakes for driver Mark MacDonald.

Pretty Katherine was the most impressive of the three as she set a Canadian record for 2-year-old filly pacers Monday night in 1:50.4 in just her third career start.

“She was real awesome and to be honest she did that very easily. I pulled the ear plugs because she got looking at the flags and the jumbotron and that goes to show just how much speed she has,” MacDonald stated.

Pretty Katherine has career earnings of $60,588 for owner John Liviakis. She has drawn post five in her elimination.

There were just 13 horses entered for this year’s Canadian Pacing Derby resulting in a solo elimination. Shark Gesture, Won The West and Vintage Master took byes based on highest money earned.

The C$50,000 Canadian Pacing Derby elimination will go to post in race five with the top seven horses, plus the three horses who earned a bye, advancing to the lucrative final.

Hypnotic Blue Chip appears to be the dominate force in the elimination after his second place effort in the $702,500 William R. Haughton Memorial, timed in 1:48.2 for driver Jody Jamieson. The week before Hypnotic Blue Chip defeated Shark Gesture to win his U.S Pacing Championship division in world record time of 1:47.2.

Hypnotic Blue Chip has career earnings of $1,063,937 for owner Francis Azur and trainer Kevin McDermott. He has post three in the solo elimination with Jamieson driving.

WEG’s Media Department recently spoke to driver Phil Hudon about his thought’s as Big Jim prepares for his Metro Stakes elimination. To watch the video interview, click here.