Trial starters were revealed for the 67th Gold Cup & Saucer (Grade 3), presented by Atlantic Lottery, at a press conference to kick off Old Home Week on Tuesday morning, Aug. 11 at Red Shores Racetrack & Casino at Charlottetown Driving Park.

Three $15,000 trials for the Gold Cup & Saucer will be contested on Saturday, Aug. 15 during a 5 p.m. (ADT) program. The $100,000 Gold Cup & Saucer, presented by Atlantic Lottery, will headline the biggest night of the summer at Charlottetown Driving Park on Saturday, Aug. 22 as the centerpiece of Old Home Week racing, which runs from Aug. 14-22.

The top three finishers from each trial will advance to the final. The fourth and fifth-place finishers from the trials will advance to the $30,000 James (Roach) MacGregor Gold Cup & Saucer Consolation on Friday Aug. 21 along with two of the sixth-place finishers. The remaining five horses will be eligible to compete in the $15,000 Prince Edward Island Harness Racing Industry Association Invitational on Saturday, Aug. 22.

Sugar Man will have the inside post advantage in the first trial for driver Jody Jamieson and trainer Mark McKinnon. Pollack Racing of Venetia, Pennsylvania owns the four-year-old son of Papi Rob Hanover-Sweet As Sugar, a career winner of $393,135. Sugar Man was a winner in 1:47.2 at Pocono Downs on July 11 and was race timed in 1:49.3 over the half-mile oval at Flamboro Downs in May.

Mappos Lion will start from the inside post in the second trial for driver Ryan Campbell and trainer Taylor Doyle. A career winner of $343,727, the nine-year-old gelded son of Sunshine Beach-Pacific Playmate has won 11 of his 12 starts this season, including his last three in P.E.I. with a 1:51.1 score over Charlottetown in his latest for owners Hailee Currie of Rocky Point, P.E.I., and Carol Campbell of Baddeck, N.S.

The third trial has Cecil Ladner Memorial winner Ammo with the inside draw for driver Marc Campbell and trainer Ron Matheson. Local owner Pat Morris and Woodmere Farms of Marshfield, P.E.I. acquired the six-year-old son Sweet Lou-Beach Gal this past spring. The 2022 Breeders Crown champion, who is approaching the $1 million mark in career earnings, enters the trials off a 1:52 tune-up -- his third win in P.E.I. -- last Saturday at Charlottetown.

The fields for the trials are listed below in post position order.

$15,000 Gold Cup & Saucer Trial #1 
Post – Horse – Driver - Trainer
1. Sugar Man – Jody Jamieson – Mark McKinnon
2. Nuttin But Finesse – Mike Downey – Ellen Stevenson
3. Brue Hanover – Jason Hughes – Ashley Gamester
4. Twin B Tuffenuff – Gilles Barrieau – Ron Matheson
5. Jordy N – Louis-Philippe Roy – Jacques Dupont
6. Arbitrage Hanover - Kenny Murphy – Clifford Murphy
7. Get Wings – Marc Campbell – Vaughan Doyle

$15,000 Gold Cup & Saucer Trial #2
Post – Horse – Driver - Trainer
1. Mappos Lion – Ryan Campbell – Taylor Doyle
2. Dalton Shard N – Jason Ryan – Francis Guillemette
3. Timeisonmyside – To Be Announced – Jamie Smith
4. Helluva N – Louis-Philippe Roy – Jacques Dupont
5. Storm Shadow – Mike Downey – Ellen Stevenson
6. JMR Speak Away – Gilles Barrieau – Darren Crowe
7. Fifth And Five – Jody Jamieson – Mark McKinnon

$15,000 Gold Cup & Saucer Trial #3
Post – Horse – Driver - Trainer
1. Ammo – Marc Campbell – Ron Matheson
2. Miki Shan N – Corey MacPherson – Chris MacKay
3. Soaring Now – David Dowling – Victor Puddy
4. Trumpster Blues – Brady Sweet – Jeff Holmes
5. Miraculous Desbi N – Louis-Philippe Roy – Jacques Dupont
6. Papis Rocket – David Dowling – Jennifer Doyle
7. The Magic Moment – Jason Ryan – Francis Guillemette
8. Its Major Major A – Jody Jamieson – Mark McKinnon

A replay of the Red Shores press conference is available below.

(Standardbred Canada with files from Red Shores)