by Karen Briggs, WEG Media

Toronto, ON — Two C$23,000 eliminations this Saturday night (October 18) at Woodbine will decide which 10 2-year-old trotters will advance to the rewarding C$660,000 final for the Valley Victory Stakes at Woodbine, and both are shaping up to be exciting contests.

New Image Media photo

Winning Mister will be seeking another triumph in Saturday’s Valley Victory elims.

In the first elim (race three, post time 8:12 p.m.), Winning Mister, who recently lived up to his name with a victory in the C$120,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Final at Mohawk, will face off against Hurrikanebiggeorge, who found the footing at Woodbine much to his liking when he cruised to a victory in a 2-year-old conditioned race after spending his first nine career starts south of the border.

Keith Klages trains Winning Mister, who is currently tapped as the 8-5 favorite in this outing, while Hurrikanebiggeorge now resides in the shedrow of Guelph conditioner Jeff Gillis.

The second elim, meanwhile (race five, post time 8:54 p.m.), pits Federal Flex, who was unbeaten until an unfortunate break in stride put him well out of the money in the William Wellwood stakes at Mohawk, against Encore Encore, who was recently triumphant in a $98,000 division of the Bluegrass Stakes at the Red Mile, and has a record of 6-2-2 in 11 starts lifetime.

Federal Flex is now a stablemate of Hurrikanebiggeorge, now that a majority interest in the Muscles Yankee colt has been sold to Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld; Gillis is also a partner. Richard Gillock trains Encore Encore, a homebred owned by Robert Key.

Saturday night’s race card will also feature three flights of elims for the Governor’s Cup for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings, leading up to the October 25 Fall Four finals.