Stars Return For Island Championships

Published: November 7, 2014 07:35 pm EST

The Atlantic Canadian stakes season will come to a close Saturday afternoon as Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park hosts the Island Breeders Finals.

First race post time is 1 p.m. for the 15-dash card.

Paymenowpaymelater headlines the afternoon's first $7,500 Island Breeders Final for two-year-old trotters (race four) for driver Kenny Arsenault, trainer Earl Watts and owner Wade Peconi of Stanchel, P.E.I. The Northern Bailey filly will battle six rivals for the championship title, including J K Blaze (Marc Campbell), Windemere Ty (Jack Panting) and Atlantic Breeders Crown winner Tyne Valley (Mike Stevenson).

In the matching three-year-old trot (race six), the Nicholas Oakes-trained Seanchai will be looking to overcome post eight for driver Jason Hughes and owner Buntainwood Farm of Brackley Beach, P.E.I. The Atlantic Breeder’s Crown champion had some difficulties in his latest outing against aged company, but will look to add to his stakes victories while competing against the likes of Dusty Lane Galaxy (Gary Chappell) and morning line favourite Southfield Shadow (Terry Gallant).

The two-year-old pacing colts will battle in race eight with six entries vying for a $12,000 purse. Dixieland Band will attempt to capture the Atlantic harness racing Triple Crown for his division after winning the Atlantic Breeders Crown and the Maritime Breeders final, with just the Island Breeders final left on his radar. Gilles Barrieau will drive the gelding for trainer Kevin MacLean and P.E.I. owners Reg MacPherson and David MacKenzie of Stratford and Aaron MacKenzie of Winsloe. The race will be kept interesting by BNGs Express (Bernard McCallum) off the rail and Ontario-sired Silverhill Blaze (Jason Hughes) from post four.

Race 10 has the two-year-old filly pacers in Island Breeders final action with Woodmere Dancenart the morning line choice from post eight for trainer/driver Clare MacDonald and Nova Scotia owners Phonsie MacEachern and Morah Kerr. The Articulator filly will also attempt a sweep of the three top races for her division, but will have to defeat a tough field, including Jann Down (Gilles Barrieau) and Three Pink Bows (Mike Stevenson), to do it.

The three-year-old pacing fillies will line up for the final Maritime-bred stakes race of their careers in race 12 with Elm Grove Inarush returning to the scene of her Atlantic Breeders Crown victory for new owners Martin Valentic and John Bednarski of Pennsylvania. The Coasttocoast Yankee filly, now trained by Jennifer Trainor, will have her regular driver Mark Bradley aboard when she leaves from post one as the heavy favourite. She is riding a four-race win streak and will have to beat seven rivals, including Fleurje (Jason Hughes) and Mappos Moenhay (Clark MacDonald), to keep it alive.

The final Island Breeders Championship of the day is in race 14 with three-year-old pacing colts completing their sophomore campaigns competing for the lion’s share of a $12,000 purse. Hollywoodgigolo is the morning line choice from post three for driver Brian MacPhee, trainer Gerald MacDougall and owner Scott Dunn of Montague, P.E.I. The Ameripan Gigolo gelding has seven competitors, including Island Gigolo (Jason Hughes) and Woodmere Rondevous (Mike Stevenson).

To view Saturday's harness racing entries, click on the following link: Saturday Entries - Charlottetown Driving Park.

(With files from Red Shores)

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