The connections of 12 horses have entered their charges to contest the 2014 edition of the Sobey's Gold Cup and Saucer, which will be contested over the oval at Red Shores’ Charlottetown Driving Park.

The field of 12 boasts speed, as the race will feature the fastest field ever assembled.

Of the 12 horses entered into the two trials, eight have lifetime marks under 1:50. Those 12 horses have earning in excess of $5 million.

Trial 1 will be raced this Saturday night (August 9) and the trainer-driver combination of Ron Burke and Marc Campbell will be back to defend their title – this time with the fastest and richest horse in the field, Aracache Hanover. The winner of over $1.7 million in lifetime earnings boasts a lifetime mark of 1:48.1. The son of Dragon Again is best known for his wicked gate speed and he has drawn Post 5.

To Aracache Hanover’s immediate right will be the Carl Jamieson-trained millionaire Up The Credit, the only entrant from last year's final, who will start from Post 6. He has a lifetime mark of 1:48.3 which was taken last year at Woodbine Racetrack. Up The Credit was the 2011 winner of the North America Cup.

Trainer Rene Allard will have two entries in Saturday night’s first trial. Big Town Hero, who will be a first-time starter from his stable, will start from Post 3. The six-year-old gelding enters the Allard stable after having won in a lifetime best 1:48.3 in his last start. Island Jett is Allard’s other entry in Trial 1. The four-year-old has drawn Post 4. Allard picked the horse up two starts ago and shows two consecutive miles in 1:53.3 over half-mile tracks.

Astor is the only entrant in this year’s trials from the Maritime free-for-all circuit. Owned by Foxyhall Racing of Wallace, NS, Jason Hughes will handle the training and driving duties from the coveted rail position. Astor scored his lifetime-best clocking last year at Mohawk Racetrack in 1:49.4.

Trainer Chris Oakes will make his first trek to red soil for Trial 1 with Shock It To Em from Post 2. The son of Western Terror has won three of his last six starts, including a 1:49.2 score at Pocono Downs. He has just over $200,000 in earnings and a lifetime mark of 1:49 which was taken earlier this season.

Oakes will send his second entrant in this year's Gold Cup and Saucer out in Trial 2. Scott Rocks, the fastest of the six horses in Monday night’s trial, has drawn the outside Post 6. He took his lifetime mark just three starts ago at Pocono in 1:48.3.

Corey Johnson is looking to follow in his father Colin's footsteps and win his first-ever Gold Cup and Saucer. His first-ever entry in the Gold Cup will start from Post 5. Wazzup Wazzup is coming into Trial 2 fresh off of a lifetime-best score of 1:49 in his last outing at Mohawk Racetrack.

A pair of brothers will look to make boyhood dreams come true, as trainer Patrick Shepherd will give his brother Robert the drive on Duke Did It from Post 2. The Truro Raceway co-track record holder has won his last four starts in 1:54.4 or better. He was purchased by Ivan Petersheim after winning the Exhibition Cup in Truro.

Take It Back Terry from Post 1 is the second horse from this year’s ‘Burke Brigade.’ The Post 1 starter picked up a 1:51.2 victory in his second-last start over Yonkers Raceway. He enters the trial with just over $380, 000 in career earnings and a record of 1:50.

The third entry from the Allard stable, Mickey Hanover, will contest his trial from Post 4 with islander Anthony MacDonald scheduled to do the driving. He has won three of his last four races.

Mach Wheel rounds out Trial 2. The post three starter was a winner Monday afternoon at Grand River Raceway in 1:54.2. He is owned and trained by Shane Arsenault.

The fields for the trials – with posts, horses and drivers listed – appear below.

Trial 1

1 – Astor – Jason Hughes
2 – Shock It To Em – TBA
3 – Bigtown Hero – Gilles Barrieau
4 – Island Jett – TBA
5 – Aracache Hanover – Marc Campbell
6 – Up The Credit – Carl Jamieson

Trial 2

1 – Take It Back Terry – Gilles Barrieau
2 – Duke Did It – Robert Shepherd
3 – Mach Wheel – TBA
4 – Mickey Hanover – Anthony MacDonald
5 – Wazzup Wazzup – James MacDonald
6 – Scott Rocks – TBA

(Red Shores)