Jason Hughes, of Stratford, P.E.I. and Corey MacPherson, of Vernon Bridge, P.E.I. will be heading to London, Ont., to compete in the National Driving Championship on Friday, October 14. This is a first-time NDC appearance for both Hughes and MacPherson who will be warming up for the big event in this weekend’s Atlantic Breeders Crown at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at Charlottetown Driving Park.
“The Blue Knight”
Jason Hughes has been driving and training horses since the early 90s, and his career has been steadily improving over the past five seasons. Hughes operates a 20 horse stable at Red Shores, and also works full-time as a Maintenance & Recreation Supervisor for the Town of Stratford, where he’s been for 20 years. “I get to the barn very early in the morning and very late at night and I have great help,” says Hughes of juggling the two full-time jobs.
The third-generation horseman swept both the training and driving titles at both Red Shores tracks in 2014, something that no one else had ever done, and in 2015 he reached the 1,000 win milestone for driving victories.
“The Blue Knight”, as he’s referred to on the Island, is looking forward to the NDC and is bringing his own cheering section with him. His wife Amy and their two sons will also make the trip to London, Ontario next week.
“It’s a tough field,” says Hughes of his seven competitors. “It’s a field of great drivers and I’m just hoping to be close to the front in most of the races so the other guys have to go around me!”
Hughes, winner of the Atlantic Regional, comes into the NDC during a solid 2016 campaign, recording 99 wins, 90 seconds and 94 thirds from 566 drives to go along with over $207,000 in purse money.
This weekend, he’ll have the perfect opportunity to get warmed up for next Friday’s championship with his drives during Atlantic Breeders Crown weekend, including two in Championship finals on Sunday.
MacPherson Enroute To A Career Year
Corey MacPherson, another first time competitor in the NDC is no stranger to the racing circuits in Ontario. Like many other horsemen, MacPherson headed to Ontario with the intent of turning his passion for racing into a full-time job. While in Ontario, he worked for Anthony and James MacDonald who were stabled at Campbellville Training Centre. “I stayed and worked with them for nine months and then decided it was time to head back east.”
After returning home Corey started a family. He’s been married to his wife, Lisa for five years and they have a two-year-old daughter, Taylor.
“They (Lisa & Taylor) go to the races as often as they can. Even when they can’t go they will always watch on the internet. My daughter knows who I am on the track and she knows the regular horses that I drive too.”
The 2016 campaign marks his eighth season of driving and Corey is coming into the NDC in fine form after recording several stakes victories last weekend including wins in two divisions of the Joe O’Brien Stakes at CDP and then following that up with two wins in the Lady Slipper at Summerside. He will be driving in several of Sunday’s Atlantic Breeders Crown events at Red Shores.
At the end of the 2015 season, MacPherson was recording multiple wins on every race card which helped him achieve his 500th lifetime win. He managed this from the 19 wins he gained during the last five race cards of the season at Charlottetown Driving Park, finishing off the year with a .519 driving average and setting a solid pace heading into 2016.
This past year has been an outstanding one for MacPherson; not only does he find himself heading back to Ontario to represent the Atlantic Region at the NDC, he’s enroute to posting some career best stats for wins and earnings and he also had his driving debut in the $60,000 Sobey’s Gold Cup and Saucer, a race that he always dreamed of winning.
To date this season, MacPherson has made 108 trips to the winner’s circle from 560 drives for $273,000 in purse earnings, which is a career record. He also trains two of his own horses and is stabled at Dusty Lane Barns in Cornwall, PE with Ronnie Gass.
It’s the simple things in Corey’s life that make him happy. His perfect day is “spending time and hanging out with family.” And the best compliment that he won’t ever get tired of hearing is “good drive”.