Flamboro: Done Well whips rivals in Confederation Cup

Done Well backed up his impressive elimination victory a week ago with a 1:50 2/5 verdict in the C$188,500 Confederation Cup final for 4-year-old male pacers on Sunday night at Flamboro Downs.

With Dexter Dunn calling the shots in the bike, Done Well showed speed from post five and was able to get to the lead around Jimmy Freight (Louis-Philippe Roy) past the 26 2/5 opening quarter. On the second turn, Dorsoduro Hanover (Matt Kakaley), the other elimination winner, went first-over out of the fourth spot, but he would still have work to do as Done Well got to the half in 54 3/5.

Dorsoduro Hanover's advance on the rim stalled out in the third quarter, so Done Well was able to keep clear to the 1:22 2/5 three-quarters and around the far turn. Jimmy Freight pulled coming off the bend and did take a late run at the pace-setter, but Done Well held sway, finding the wire three-parts of a length to the good. Dorsoduro Hanover held third in a scramble to the wire, with Rockin Speed (Billy Davis Jr.) fourth and The Downtown Bus (Doug McNair) fifth.

"He traveled great, like he was here last week," said Dunn. "He had his ears pricked the whole way, and he was liking his work out there. I was still pretty confident turning for home, but with a horse like Jimmy Freight on your back, ready to pounce off your helmet, it's always worrying, but he did a good job.

"I just talked to Ronnie (Burke) a little bit when I first qualified him, and he said he was really happy with the way he had come back as a 4-year-old and he was training down good. His qualifier and races have been really, really good, so hopefully he keeps on that same road for the rest of the season."

Burke trains Done Well, a gelded son of Well Said, for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Weaver Bruscemi LLC., Jandt Silva Purnel & Libby, and Wingfield Brothers LLC. Done Well picked up his ninth career victory, and he has now earned C$583,779. He was the 1-5 favorite and paid $2.50 to win.

The undercard features were a trio of Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Series races for 3-year-old male trotters, and last year's Valley Victory champion Southwind Avenger (Trevor Henry) won the fastest of the three, taking the final C$73,067 flight in 1:55 4/5. Southwind Avenger ended up having to go an extended first-over trip from post eight, but he forged his way past a game mile-cutter Cool Clifford (Roy) in the lane to win for trainer Nifty Norman and owners Mel Hartman, David McDuffee, and Little E LLC.

The other two divisions ended with upsets as 7-2 shot Only For Justice (Chris Christoforou/Dany Fontaine) knocked off 1-5 choice Forbidden Trade (Daniel Dube) by three lengths in 1:56 3/5 in the opening C$72,267 clash, and then 7-1 offering Magical Journey (Steve Byron/John Bax) took advantage of an early miscue by 1-5 public choice Dream Nation (Roy) to take the second C$72,267 section in 1:56 3/5.