A pair of perfect records will be put on the line on Saturday afternoon, Oct. 17 when the Home Hardware Maritime Breeders Stakes take over Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
The capital oval has a 10-dash presentation starting at 12:30 p.m. (ADT), with stakes action in every race and $307,425 in total purses.
Windemere Skye headlines the $25,875 Home Hardware Maritime Breeders Stakes three-year-old pacing filly division in race eigth as she looks to extend her unbeaten record to 26 wins. Marc Campbell has the driving assignment from the rail for trainer Earl Watts and owners Windemere Farms of Springvale, P.E.I. and Matt Burke of Stratford, P.E.I.
The daughter of Somewhere Fancy-Howmac Missy has won all 13 of her starts this season after going 12-for-12 as a rookie. Her latest victory was on Sunday in the Carle & Marg MacKenzie Memorial Stakes at Truro Raceway in 1:54.3, following a 1:53 Atlantic Breeders Crown championship performance in Charlottetown. She enters Saturday with $248,175 in lifetime earnings with the Maritime Breeders the final stakes test of her sophomore season.
Among her rivals looking for to upset, Elm Grove Uncannie, to be driven by Adam Merner, has post three for the Joe Baxter stable while Mattnificent Rose and driver Paul Langille will leave from post four for trainer Luke Burke after finishing second to Windemere Skye in Truro.
Peter MacPhee’s "Post Time Picks" places Windemere Skye on top and tabs her as the most probable winner on the afternoon: “Windemere Skye has won 25 straight races over two incredible seasons and is edging closer to $250,000 in lifetime earnings. She draws a prime time post for this attempt and Campbell will be pushing the pace early so she could go right down the Red Shores highway to remain perfect in her career.”
Woodmere Rock It brings his own unblemished record into the $27,000 Home Hardware Maritime Breeders Stakes two-year-old pacing colt division in race nine. Gilles Barrieau will steer the Jamie Smith trainee from post five for owner Thestable Woodmererock It of Guelph, Ont. The Tobago Cays-Musette Mindale gelding has won all 10 of his career starts, including a 7-3/4-length score in 1:54.2 in the Atlantic Breeders Crown. His rookie bankroll stands at $90,721. Other contenders include Southdale Jeff, who has post four for trainer/driver Merner and Much More Malice (Langille) in post six.
The other $27,000 rookie colt divisions are in races three and six. Camco Kolton is the morning line favourite from post two in race three for driver/trainer Corey MacPherson, with other top picks including Philndangerous (Brodie MacPhee) leaving from post five and No Moni No Funi (Ken Murphy) drawing post three.
Malicious Benny is the top choice in race six with Campbell driving from post three for trainer Watts. Other top contenders include Woodmere Dougal from post two for trainer/driver MacPherson and Woodmere Fergus (Jason Hughes) with rail control. The "Post Time Picks" selected Woodmere Fergus as the afternoon’s value play.
The Home Hardware Maritime Breeders two-year-old pacing fillies compete for $38,000 in each of races two and seven. Atlantic Breeders Crown champion Starship Daisy will leave from post four as the favourite in race two with Campbell aboard for trainer Watts. Howmac Derry (Merner) and Y S Fancy Speed (Langille) have the inside posts in the field of five.
Sheeowtime Speed will look to rebound in race seven after a break in the Atlantic Breeders Crown. Campbell will drive the favoured Watts trainee from post six. Redland Equinox (MacPherson) and Woodmere Twigs (Merner) are the other top choices.
The three-year-old pacing fillies also have $25,875 divisions in races one and four. Mysterious Ways (Hughes) is favoured from post six in the opener for trainer Stephen Quinn, with other top picks including Saulsbrook Fancy (MacPherson) in post three and Rose Knows Money (Keith Legge) in post eight.
Alwaysinfullforce (Murphy) gets top billing from post three in the race four division for trainer Mike McGuigan fresh off a 1:55.4 stakes victory in Truro. Her inside rivals, Isle Mach Da Money (Barrieau) and Starship Sundancer (Langille), are among her biggest threats.
The three-year-old pacing colts have $36,400 divisions in races five and 10. Smilin With Lou (Merner) is the race five favourite from post five for trainer Bernard McCallum. Other contenders include Oceanview Lou (MacPhee) from post six and Starship Sharky (Campbell) in post two.
Zero Two Sixty will seek his sixth consecutive stakes victory in the race 10 finale with Murphy driving from post seven for trainer Sifroi Melanson and owner Ultimate Stable of Greater Lakeburn, N.B. The Tobago Cays-J J Mistress gelding won the Atlantic Breeders Crown in 1:53.2 in his last start. Darbies Fancy (Hughes) has post two while Woodmere Mahomes will leave from post three for trainer/driver Barrieau as other top picks in the race. Shekhan (Redmond Doucet), a 1:56 stakes winner in Truro last Sunday for trainer Mike Ramsay, has post four and is the "Post Time Picks" longshot play.
To view Saturday's harness racing entries, click the following link: Saturday Entries - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(With files from Red Shores)