The best pacers in Prince Edward Island harness racing will tangle Saturday afternoon at Red Shores’ Charlottetown Driving Park.
First-race post time is 1 p.m. for the 13-dash affair.
The bearcats will battle for $2,300 in Race 12. All Turain is riding a two-race win streak and has been assigned Post 8 for driver Mike Stevenson, trainer Trevor Hicken and owners Lee Hicken of Charlottetown and Perry Burke of Quebec. The son of Tell All boasts an impressive summary of 11 wins from 18 seasonal starts, but will again face his two biggest rivals from the Jason Hughes stable.
Narragansett has Post 6 for driver Gary Chappell, trainer Hughes and owner Foxyhall Racing of Wallace, N.S., while stablemate Astor has Hughes in the bike from Post 7 for owner Foxyhall Racing.
Also in the field is Machinthesand (to be driven by Walter Cheverie), Rash B Havior (Marc Campbell), Shock The Rock (Gordie Hennessey), Cheyenne Ford (Kenny Arsenault) and Red Magician (Ken Murphy).
The afternoon ‘back-up pace’ is Race 9, the ‘Joy Riders Pace,’ which carries a purse of $1,800. Beckenbauer is the morning line choice for trainer-driver Hughes and owners Robi and Kurt Hughes of Stratford. The six-year-old son of The Panderosa was a winner his last start in a flashy 1:56.1 at Summerside Raceway and has Post 2 in the eight-horse field. The Jackie Matheson-trained duo of Oakrock Almighty (Hennessey) and Balanchine (Ron Matheson) are the next choices.
To view the harness racing entries for Saturday at the CDP, click the following link: Saturday Entries – Charlottetown Driving Park.
SUNDAY
A 14-dash program will get underway at 1 p.m. on Sunday afternoon with the top trotters and top pacing mares on display.
The Open Trot (Race 4) will see eight horses compete for the lion’s share of the $1,850 purse. Zip The Lip is the heavy favourite, but has been saddled with Post 8 for the contest. Brian MacPhee will drive the son of Ken Warkentin for co-owner and trainer Don Sweet and co-owner Orville Willis, both of O’Leary.
The field also includes Seanchai (Hughes), Abundaspin (Harold Shepherd), Frill Seeker (Kenny Arsenault), Diamond Mine (Mark Bradley), Majian Dillon (Jim Ripley), Caliban Hanover (Ron Gass) and Saulsbrook Balance (Willie Murphy).
The $2,250 Mares Open (Race 9) will see For All We Know start from Post 7 in the handicapped affair for driver Gary Chappell, trainer Jackie Matheson and owner Bruce Wood of Marshfield. Stayoutofmyaffair is the second choice on the morning line from Post 2 for driver Kenny Arsenault, trainer Hughes and owner Robi Hughes of Stratford. The mare that refuses to finish out of the top three, General Luckypercy, has Post 5 for trainer Matheson, driver Ron Matheson and owners Jodilynn Matheson of Charlottetown and Jack Brown of Stratford. The field also includes Bunny Mach (Hughes), Yankee No More (Campbell) and A Fiesty X Ample (Bradley).
Race 13 has a tough field of overnight pacers with The Big Bite favoured early in the $2,000 contest for driver Stevenson, trainer Thane Arsenault and owners Jack Arsenault of Charlottetown, Donna McIver of York, Ed Blaisdell of Montague and Deborah Wilson of Nova Scotia. Top contenders in the six-horse field include Oh To Be Me (Chappell), Forever Paradise (Campbell) and Mcjestic (Cheverie).
The CDP drivers’ race is far from over. Marc Campbell is holding a three-race lead over Jason Hughes. Campbell, from Winsloe, has 108 Charlottetown wins on the season while Stratford’s Hughes has 105 victories in 2014. Counting this weekend’s two cards, there are nine programs left in the calendar year.
To view the harness racing entries for Sunday at the CDP, click the following link: Sunday Entries – Charlottetown Driving Park.
(With files form Red Shores)