by Frank Salive, for Western Fair Raceway

London, ON — It’s an awesome looking cast of 17 of North America’s top free for all pacers that will line up at Western Fair Raceway on Friday (May 25) in the three eliminations necessary for the 35th renewal of The Molson Pace.

The three C$20,000 splits are carded as the second, fourth, and fifth races with post time at 7:35 p.m. The C$250,000 final is set for Friday, June 1.

Millionaire Maltese Artist has been the top 2007 performer in this company and already counts victories in the George Morton Levy final and The Battle of Lake Erie among his season’s conquests. He’s been assigned 5-2 favorite’s status in the third elimination.

“He’s always been good on half-mile tracks,” trainer Mickey Burke commented after Monday morning’s draw. “The big change this year was over the winter, my son and I decided in Florida that we’d use two headpoles on him. He’s really picked it up to another level now that we’ve got him going in a straight line.

“It was always in the game plan to give him a week off coming up to big races like this. We did it the week before the $475,000 Levy final at Yonkers and that’s why he hasn’t raced since May 12.”

Burke is no stranger to Western Fair. His 2006 starter Rob Roy Mattgregor still holds a share of the 1:53 track record from an elimination, but he had no luck in last year’s final.

In addition to having that score to settle, Burke is also sending in Texas Shootout for the Molson Pace eliminations. Burke is tabbing Canada’s Jody Jamieson to drive both Maltese Artist and Texas Shootout.

“Texas Shootout was second in an Adios Pace elimination last year and he’s a nice, solid half-mile track horse,” Burke observes. “He’s not the equal of Maltese Artist, but other than Lis Mara I doubt right now that there are any out there that would be.”

Western Fair’s Race Secretary and General Manager Ian Fleming certainly has a sense that 2007 could be the best ever edition of the Molson Pace.

“This was the 13th draw I’ve made for this race in my term here and it’s the best group of free for all horses I’ve ever seen entered in London,” Fleming says. “All three divisions are just excellent and we’ll sure be on the edge of our seats for the next two Friday nights around here.”

The incredible line-up includes last year’s top two finishers, Our Lucky Killean and Dr No. Rare Jewel, who spun the fastest mile of 2007 thus far at Western Fair in 1:53.3, is part of a three-horse consignment across the divisions sent in by trainer Brett Robinson. His other starters are former Molson Pace elimination winner Buckeye One, and Holborn Hanover, who will make his third start of 2007 after shocking the racing world with a 1:46.4 effort in 2006 at The Meadowlands.

2007 Molson Pace eliminations
Western Fair Raceway – Friday, May 25, 2007
(with declared driver and trainer)

2nd Race – Post Time 7:55 p.m.
1. Buckeye One – Brad Forward – Brett Robinson
2. Gimmebackmybullets – Denis St. Pierre – Colin Johnson
3. Dr No – Randy Waples – Ken Sucee
4. Western Ace – Mark MacDonald – Brenda Teague
5. Stormaway – Dan Megens – Dan Megens
6. Astronomical – Luc Ouellette – Dr. Ian Moore

4th Race – Post Time 8:35 p.m.
1. Texas Shootout – Jody Jamieson – Mickey Burke
2. Special Report – Kevin Wallis – Amanda Bublitz
3. Zooka – Mario Baillargeon – Ben Wallace
4. Eagle Luck – Al Cullen – Gregg McNair
5. Holborn Hanover – TBA – Brett Robinson

5th Race – Post Time 8:55 p.m.
1. JK Big Shot – Mark MacDonald – Gary Lemaister
2. Maltese Artist – Jody Jamieson – Mickey Burke
3. Rare Jewel – Chris Christoforou – Brett Robinson
4. Our Lucky Killean – Jack Moiseyev – Casie Coleman
5. Dreamfair Vogel – Ray McLean, Jr. – Peter Lathouris
6. Silent Swing – Paul MacKenzie – Jean-Louis Arsenault

Also on Friday night at Western Fair there are a pair of Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Series eliminations for 3-year-old pacing fillies featuring the highly anticipated first start of 2007 for Luck Of Michelle. Post time is 7:35 p.m.