All-Age track record set in $273,500 Juravinski Cup

With a super impressive gate-to-wire harness racing victory, Linedrive Hanover and driver James MacDonald rewrote the all-age track record at Flamboro Downs Sunday in capturing the $273,500 Charles Juravinski Memorial Cup.

Renamed from the Confederation Cup to honor the memory of longtime Flamboro Downs owner Charles Juravinski, the Cup is restricted to four-year-old pacers.

At the start of the 10^th race feature, Desperate Man and driver Trevor Henry left from post eight only to have to take a seat behind Linedrive Hanover and driver James MacDonald, who outsprinted Desperate Man for control of the early lead as they went by the first quarter mile in :27.

Coming to the half mile in :55, Bulldog Hanover (Jody Jamieson), the 7/5 race favorite, came out first-over with Lou’s Pearlman (Yannick Gingras) following second-over with Charlie May (David Miller) following that outside flow.

Then in the backstretch, Miller took Charlie May three-wide but they could not loop the field past the three-quarters in 1:22.

Meanwhile, Linedrive Hanover and MacDonald held the field at bay and in the stretch drive, Linedrive Hanover held off Desperate Man to win by one length in 1:49. Dean B Hanover (Jordan Stratton) was third.

LINEDRIVE HANOVER REPLAY

The time of the race, a new lifetime mark for Linedrive Hanover, also rewrote the all-age track record at Flamboro Downs of 1:49.2 set by Somebeachsomewhere at age 3 in 2008. Linedrive Hanover is now the fastest horse ever on a half mile track in Canada. That record was held by This Is The Plan (1:49.1) set at H3R in 2014.

It was the 11^th win in 12 starts this year for Linedrive Hanover. The son of Betting Line is trained by Anthony Beaton for the West Wins Stable, Mckinlay & Fielding-Mac Nichol. He paid $6.80 to win.

For MacDonald, it was his fifth win on the Flamboro race card.

In the 7^th race $50,000 Margaret Juravinski Invitational for four-year-old pacing mares, Awesome Hill put on a totally awesome performance to capture the race in a photo finish.

Beach Moment, a 30-1 longshot for driver Yannick Gingras, shot out of the starting gate and to the lead with Mystifying (Jonathan Drury) grabbing the two-hole spot to the opening quarter mile in :27.3.

Past the half mile in :56.2 and it was Awesome Hill and driver Doug McNair coming first-over to challenge Beach Moment.

Those two would tough it out down the backstretch as Exotic Dragon (Travis Cullen) went for the second-over cover to the three-quarters in 1:24.3.

At the top of the stretch Awesome Hill was still grinding it out first-over and wearing down Beach Moment, then was able to hold off the late charging Mystifying to win the photo finish by a half a head in 1:53.4. Beach Moment held for third.

AWESOME HILL REPLAY

A daughter of Sunshine Beach, it was the fifth win this year for Awesome Hill. She is trained by Chantal Mitchell for owner-breeder Tom Hill of Hamilton. Awesome Hill was the wagering favorite and paid $3.30 to win.

For complete race results, click here.

by Steve Wolf, for Harnesslink