Dundas, ON --- All Bets Off and Let's Drink On It scored impressive victories Sunday night (May 10) at Flamboro Downs in the eliminations for the Confederation Cup.
A group of 16 4-year-old pacers were split into two $16,600 eliminations to determine the field for next Sunday’s C$226,575 Confederation Cup final. The top four finishers from each elimination Sunday, plus one fifth-place finisher drawn by lot, qualified for the final.
In the first elimination, All Bets Off established a new Flamboro Downs track record with a dominant 1:50.4 victory.
Driven by Yannick Gingras, All Bets Off sprinted off the wings of the gate to hook up with Three Of Clubs in an early battle for the front. After being parked past the opening quarter in :26.2, All Bets Off overtook the lead and cruised by the midway point in :55.1.
National Debt came first up from third to challenge the leader, but All Bets Off turned aside the pressure and began to extend his lead at the three-quarter pole in 1:23.
All Bets Off paced away from his competition in the final quarter to score a 3-1/2 length victory in 1:50.4. Bettorever, who was seventh at the three-quarter pole, was able to split his way between rivals on the final turn to finish second, while National Debt and Big Boy Dreams finished third and fourth, securing spots in the final.
All Bets Off's clocking of 1:50.4 set a new track record for an older pacer, shaving a fifth of a second off the previous mark of 1:51 set in 2007 by Rare Jewel. A son of Bettor's Delight, All Bets Off is trained by Ron Burke for the ownership group of Burke Racing Stable LLC, Frank Baldachino, The Panhellenic Stb Corp and the Estate of Rosemary J. Shelswell.
Last year’s Messenger Stakes winner, All Bets Off's elimination victory was his first in two starts this season. The Burke trainee now has 16 career victories and earnings of more than $1.1 million. All Bets Off returned $3.80 to win.
Let's Drink On It got a perfect second-over trip to score an impressive five length victory in the second elimination.
Trained by Joe Seekman, Let's Drink On It was scheduled to be driven by Tyler Smith, but a late driver change saw Billy Davis Jr. pick up and make the most of a live drive.
Let's Drink On It got away sixth in the early stages, as Limelight Beach hustled out to the lead and posted an opening quarter of :26.1. Heading to the half, Davis moved Let's Drink On It to the outside and was able to pick up the cover of Ideal Cowboy, who came out from third to challenge first up.
Limelight Beach and Ideal Cowboy went toe-to-toe by the half in :54.1 and three-quarter pole in 1:22.3, while Let's Drink On It sat comfortably second-over.
Davis sent Let's Drink On It three-wide at the three-quarter pole to sweep around the leaders and the Seekman trainee responded by pacing off to an easy five length victory in 1:51.4. Somewhere Fancy came on late to finish second, while Ideal Cowboy and Limelight Beach qualified for the final by finishing third and fourth, respectively.
A son of Art Offi