by Karen Briggs, WEG Media

Campbellville, ON — Three powerful contenders for the August 16 final of the C$750,000 Canadian Pacing Derby have opted to skip this Saturday’s C$50,000 elimination at Mohawk and advance straight to the final, but a strong field of open pacing heavyweights will still make the elim a contest for the record books.

Jean-Louis Arsenault’s Silent Swing, a 6-year-old son of Northern Luck, will be sitting out the Gold Cup and Saucer this year in favor of the Canadian Pacing Derby. The gelding, who won the featured event in PEI last year and was second in 2006, recently became a Canadian millionaire, on the strength of 29 wins over the course of his illustrious career. The Canadian Pacing Derby will be the 102nd start for durable Silent Swing, who is co-owned by David Shea and Reg Petitpas. He’ll have his regular pilot, Paul MacDonell, along for the ride.

Then there’s Erv Miller trainee Western Shore, who is the lukewarm morning line favorite at 7-2. Fourth in his first try at this event last year, this 5-year-old son of Western Hanover will be looking to better that result in 2008 — and with plenty of checks, but no wins on his dance card since early May, his connections will be hungry for a visit to the winner’s circle. Mark MacDonald gets the drive.

Eagle Luck, who impressed back in May while capturing Western Fair Raceway’s signature event, the C$280,000 Molson Pace, is returning to try his luck at the Mohawk oval after a stint at The Meadowlands. Trained by Gregg McNair, this 5-year-old Camluck son set a new lifetime clocking of 1:48.3 while south of the border and continues to grow ever more competitive. Sylvain Filion picks up the drive.

And finally, don’t discount Bigtime Ball, who at four is a rookie in this tough company, but has been off the board only once in 10 starts in 2008. A gelded half-brother to double Canadian millionairess Invitro, Bigtime Ball will be sent out by breeder/owner/trainer Gord Irwin and Roger Mayotte will be at the lines.

The top seven finishers in the elimination will meet up with three more heavy hitters in next week’s final, all of whom have been given a bye on the basis of their being the top three money earners of the season. They are Artistic Fella, who recently set a world record of 1:48 in the $500,000 Ben Franklin Pace in Chester, Pa.; Won The West, who is on the brink of shattering the $1 million ceiling in earnings and will be racing north of the border for the first time; and Artistic Fella’s rival, Mister Big, who has raked in nearly $700,000 this season alone, with victories in the Haughton Final and the U.S. Pacing Championship to his credit.

Catch the Canadian Pacing Derby elimination on Saturday night at Mohawk. It’s race five, post time 8:54 p.m. (EDT).