The harness racing season will return Saturday night at Red Shores Racetrack & Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park
. Post time for the 11-dash card is 6 p.m. The action will be carried world wide from www.redshores.ca with HorsePlayer Interactive players across Canada and P.E.I. able to view and wager on the product.
The card officially launches the countdown to the Gold Cup & Saucer with only 119 days before the spotlights return to the legendary oval.
Casual Motion has drawn the rail in the evening's featured Preferred Handicap Pace for trainer, driver and owner Joey Pineau. The eight-year-old son of Camotion posted a solid qualifier with a one length score in 2:00.4 with a closing panel in :29-seconds flat.
Blue Star Outlaw is listed as the morning line 5-2 favourite from post two for owner Don MacRae of Vernon Bridge and his trainer-driver Jason Hughes. This horse charted 40 starts in 2011 and can bust the gate or race off a helmet.
Race analyst Les MacIsaac believes Blue Star Outlaw will be part of the ticket, but leans on Oakrock Almighty, owned by Jack Keenan of Charlottetown and Joseph Dahl of Burlington, Ont., as his top selection. "They don't come much more consistent than this guy," said MacIsaac of the Jackie Matheson trainee. "He closed out the year hitting six of seven and the outside post shouldn't be much of a factor."
The field also includes Barrett Jackson for Mark Bradley, Matt Trapper with Brian Andrew, and Unstoppable Speed with Corey MacPherson.
The 2012 season will feature some new events including the Red Cup Classic presented by Lotto 649 June 8 and June 9, impressive stakes events, and a new Island Pacing Series Championship sponsored by Meridian Farms.
To view Saturday's harness racing entries, click on the following link: Saturday Entries - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(Red Shores)