After an afternoon hiatus on Wednesday at Red Shores Charlottetown, the action heats right back up on Thursday afternoon featuring the Atlantic Sires Stakes for two-year-old fillies.
The 11-dash afternoon card gets under way at 1 p.m. featuring two 'A' divisions and three 'B' divisions of the Atlantic Sire Stakes.
The 'A' fillies get under way in the afternoon's ninth race with a pair of fillies looking to extend their win streaks. Morning line favourite Dusty Lane Bria will look to extend her streak to three races when she lines up against seven other foes from the outside Post 8. The daughter of Ameripan Gigolo is undefeated in her career for owners Ken Wilkie and Larry Chappell. The Wilkie trainee picked up a new lifetime mark in her last start, stopping the clock in 1:59. Kenny Arsenault will be back in the sulky on Thursday.
Jann Down, a daughter of Articulator owned by the Downey Stables will look to pick up her third win in a row from Post 2. Trained by Stephen Mason, the filly has yet to finish out of the top two in four starts this year. Gilles Barrieau will handle the driving duties. I Can Do Anything, Three Pink Bows, Lyndale Jenn, Woodmere Costalot, Pictonian Stardust and Jays Little Spark round out the full field.
A pair of fillies bred by Woodmere Farms will do battle in the second 'A' division, although both daughters of Articulator have raced each other up and down the field many of times, Thursday afternoon will be a little different, $13,900 different. Woodmere Dancenart has been chosen as the morning line favourite from Post 2. Owned by Morah Kerr and Phonsie Maceachern, the filly has picked up back-to-back victories for trainer - driver Clare MacDonald.
Woodmere Articblue has drawn post 3 and will look to shed the bridesmaid status from her previous two starts. She is owned by Tanya Tremblett and Stevi Jardine, Ken Collins does the training, Tuesday afternoon she will gain the services of Charlottetown's top driver Marc Campbell. Party Rockin, Elm Grove Joanette, Casa Miasa, Centurion Sue, Wynnfrith and Ubettowin complete the field.
The Atlantic Sire Stakes 'B' divisions go in races 3, 5 and 7 on the card. Navajo Moe is the 5-2 morning line choice for her owner Calvin Baglole and trainer Tammy MacKay, Barrieau will handle the driving. Dusty Lane Milly, is the early choice in race 5 for owners Frank Hansen, Shelley Gass and Alexis Gass. Hansen handles the training duties on the daughter of Allamerican Navajo and Walter Cheverie will drive. Another daughter of Navajo is favourited in the seventh race and final 'B' division of the day, Miss Johnstone from Post 4 will look to pick up her first lifetime victory for the trainer/driver combination of Thane Mann and Terry Gallant along with owner Paul Johnstone.
The Wal and Joe Hennessey memorial is set to headline the 12-dash card on Thursday night at Red Shores' Charlottetown. Post time is 7 p.m.
Six horses will contest in this year's Wal and Joe Hennessey, it has become a landmark race of Old Home Week and this year is sure to be no different.
Fresh off pacing a mile in 1:55.4 Narragansett has been enlisted as the morning line choice in the signature event. Owned by Foxyhall Racing, the five-year-old gelding has four victories on the year. A finalist in this year's Governor's Plate, the Jason Hughes trainee draws into Post 5 in the compact field of six. Hughes will handle the driving duties.
Newcomer Camstock Lode has drawn the rail for new owner Dr James Shive of Nova Scotia. He comes to red soil from Monticello, a half-mile oval in New York. He was a winner two starts back in 1:55.3. The seven-year-old Cams Fortune gelding is now trained by Dr. Trevin Shive. National Driving Championship finalist Ryan Ellis will do the driving off of the rail. Oakmont, Bonnys Mac, Carrera Angel and Sa Summers Luck complete the compact field of six.
The Shive connection will look are also in action one race prior in the tenth race, Officially Rusty will put his three race win streak on the line against a stiff group of competition. The three-year-old Art Official gelding picked up his last victory in Truro, a 1:57.3 score for driver Ryan Ellis. Ellis will be back in the sulky Thursday night.
Perfect Escape has drawn Post 2 for owners Jack Keenan and Joseph Dahl, the five-year-old Mcardle gelding comes into the race showing two miles in 1:55.4. He drops back after not qualifying for the final of the Premiers Pace on Saturday night. Jackie Matheson trains, while Marc Campbell will pick up the catch-driving call after Gilles Barrieau committed to the rail horse Panacotta. Tempo Seelster, Pictonian Walton and Unstoppable Speed round out the power packed field.
(CDP
To view entries for Thursday's cards of harness racing at the Charlottetown Driving Park, click the following links: Thursday Afternoon Entries and Thursday Evening Entries.