A hike in class can be a daunting task but one pacer will attempt to prevail over the odds in the first Thursday evening feature of the season at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
The capital oval switches to a twice-a-week schedule of Thursday and Saturday evenings beginning this week. First race post time for Thursday's 10-race card is 6:30 p.m.
The evening feature lines up in race nine with The Big Bite drawing post five in the $1,900 event after winning his last outing two classes down the ladder. Kenny Arsenault drives The Big Bite for co-owner and trainer Jack Arsenault, Island co-owners Donna McIveer and Edward Blaisdell, and Deborah Wilson of Nova Scotia. Regardless of the jump in class, race analyst Les MacIsaac likes the chances of The Big Bite to win Thursday's top event.
"The Big Bite steps up after last week’s win but it’s not somewhere he hasn’t been before," MacIsaac said. "He was so impressive in that one after being on the bench for four months that he might just be the one they’ll have to knock off."
Three Truths has the rail for driver Vaughan Doyle, fresh off his first qualifier of the season, while Painted Pony has post two for Mark Bradley, Hickory Chumley leaves from post three for driver Marc Campbell, Give Em Heck and Brian MacPhee leave from post four and Simon Said has post six after dropping from the Preferred ranks and gets the catch-driving services of Corey MacPherson.
A tight knit group of pacing mares lines up in race five on the card with a $1,600 purse. Internal Check is favoured from post five for owner Jamie Whalen of Vernon Bridge, P.E.I., and trainer/driver Mike McGuigan. Other top entries include Julep Hanover (Wade Myers) and Brodys Leona (MacPherson).
The Gormanizor makes his East Coast debut in race one with Jason Hughes at the lines for owner Heather Gamester of North Wiltshire, P.E.I. Johannahs Jet is another fresh face and lands in race eight for her Island debut for trainer/driver Todd Walsh.
To view Thursday's harness racing entries, click the following link: Thursday Entries - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(With files from Red Shores)