The stars of yesterday return to the spotlight on Thursday evening, May 29 at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park as the Graduate Series continues for the P.E.I. Colt Stakes alumni with Grassroots action.
First post time is 6 p.m. ADT for the 13-dash card, which features five Grassroots divisions of the P.E.I. Colt Stakes Graduate Series with $5,200 purses. The series started on Sunday with Gold divisions at Summerside.
The first Grassroots division for the mares, presented by JD Marine and Diving Inc., is slated as race two and Woodmere Kennedie is the one to beat from post five with Marc Campbell in the bike for trainer Landon Campbell and owner Mike Pollard. A six-time winner in 2024, the free-legged daughter of Rollwithitharry will be making the third start of her four-year-old campaign. Other top contenders include Keith Ford trainee Shelleys Spirit, to be driven by Myles Heffernan Sr. from post three, and Starship Beauty (Paul Langille), who has rail control, from the Kyle Williams barn.
The second Grassroots mares division in race seven has Promise Me Later (David Dowling) seeking to continue her four-race win streak from post five for trainer Jennifer Doyle and owners Kingsley Walsh, Sam Walsh and Frank Balcom. Meanwhile, Islebetu Islebeatu (Gilles Barrieau) will start off her four-year-old season from post one for trainer Brendan Mullen after four wins and 11-seconds as a sophomore in 2024. Timberlea Lady, trained and driven by Jaycob Sweet, is third choice in the field from post seven after a pair of seconds so far in her four-year-old season.
The race 13 finale is the last mares Grassroots division with post eight starter Saulsbrook Feisty shipping in from Truro Raceway in Nova Scotia where she was racing in the top class for owner/trainer Carrie Saunders. Adam Merner will drive the four-year-old daughter of Big Jim, who was already a 1:58 winner at Flamboro Downs in Ontario this year. Redland Misspretty (Paul Langille) is a top choice from post seven from the Kyle Williams barn after a third-place finish in her five-year-old seasonal debut. Windemere Saddy (Marc Campbell) has post six for trainer Saul Lanigan fresh off a second-place finish in 1:56.3.
The program also has a pair of P.E.I. Colt Stakes Graduate Series Grassroots divisions for horses and geldings in races four and 10. The dashes are presented by Kay’s Wholesale.
Good Omen, trained and drive by Paul Langille, is the morning line choice in the first male division with post two for owners Rosanne Langille and Ellie Driscoll. The Betterthancheddar four-year-old sports a lifetime best of 1:55.2 taken at age two while tying the rookie track record at Red Shores Summerside in 2023. Shanes Dream lands post three for trainer/driver Adam Merner after a 1:57.2 victory last start while Jack Boswall (Marc Campbell) scored in 1:57.2 in his season debut and will line up from post five for conditioner Keith MacDonnell.
Howmac Exclusive will get the respect of the race secretary as the morning line favourite in the other male division. Corey MacPherson drives for co-owner and trainer Les Waite and co-owners Leith Waite and Jim Gorman after earning a new speed badge of 1:54.3 earlier this year in Charlottetown. Freemans Legacy is second choice for trainer/driver Jaycob Sweet with a runner-up finish in 1:55.4 to his credit on May 19. Allaboutthecash (Brady Sweet) is the post one starter from the Jeff Holmes stable, installed as the 7-2 third choice.
Play at the track or from home through HPIbet.com. For the Race Day broadcast, free race programs and more, go to the new Player Portal at redshores.ca.
To view Thursday's harness racing entries, click the following link: Thursday Entries - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(With file from Red Shores)