The 2023 stakes season officially gets underway on Prince Edward Island on Sunday (May 28) with P.E.I. Colt Stakes action for sophomore pacers at Red Shores at the Summerside Raceway.
The Western P.E.I. track has 12 dashes scheduled for a 1 p.m. start.
Saulsbrook Ian (pictured above) headlines P.E.I. Colt Stakes Gold action for three-year-old pacing colts in Race 10 with a $14,500 purse at play. Corey MacPherson drives the Jamie Smith trainee, an open-length winner in both of his sophomore starts, for owners Red Oak Stables of Charlottetown . His main rivals will be Starship Glyde (David Dowling) from Post 1 and Atlantic record holder Malignity (Paul Langille) in Post 5.
The Backstretch Beat likes Saulsbrook Ian to keep on winning.
“Saulsbrook Ian may be one of the fastest horses to ever grace the program pages of the P.E.I. Colt Stakes. He has lots to do to prove that true but the flashes of talent he has shown have been nothing short of unbelievable. He has a big motor and it will be in play.”
Fishermans Son is the favourite in the other $14,500 pacing colt Gold division, the fourth race, starting from Post 2 for driver Danny Gillis and trainer Walter Walker.
The program also features $7,250 P.E.I. Colt Stakes grassroots divisions for three-year-old colt pacers in Races 2, 6 and 8.
The P.E.I. Colt Stakes for three-year-old pacing fillies features a trio of $11,600 Gold splits in Races 3, 7 and 11.
Our Girl Annie was the champion of the 2022 season at age two and is the top choice in the first Gold division in the afternoon's third race. Eddy Doucette trains the champion filly for Blaine, Jennifer & Jessica Thibeau of Kensington with Ken Murphy picking up the catch drive from Post 3.
The $11,600 Gold division in Race 7 also has Murphy favoured to win in the race bike as Rock N Roll Cays is the top contender off the rail from the Jeff Holmes barn for owner Hardcore Racing of Belfast.
The final filly Gold division is in Race 11 with Home Hardware Maritime Breeder’s Champion Saulsbrook Mabel the top choice from Post 5. Gilles Barrieau will drive the Joe Baxter-trained and co-owned filly for co-owner Saulsbrook Stables Inc., of Windsor, N.S. The filly has been undefeated in three career outings.
The fillies have $5,800 P.E.I. Colt Stakes Grassroots divisions in Races 1, 5, 9 and 12.
For the Race Day broadcast, programs, HPIbet.com and more go to the Player’s Portal at Redshores.ca. To view entries for the Sunday card of harness racing, click the following link: Sunday Entries - Red Shores Summerside.
(Red Shores)