The ladies go to war Thursday night (June 1) at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
The 10-dash program kicks off at 6:30 p.m., with the $2,250 Open Mares Pace highlighting the card in race nine. Woodmere Articblue will look to defend last week’s title from post four for trainer/driver Marc Campbell, who continues to dominate the Charlottetown driving standings with an incredible 35 wins from 85 seasonal starts. Tanya Tremblett and Stevi Jardine of Nova Scotia share ownership of Woodmere Articblue. Newcomer Prettyndangerous was second in her East Coast debut and gets post three for driver Adam Merner and co-owner/trainer Bo Ford and co-owner Arnold Myers, all of Charlottetown, while Shadows Mystery is the morning line favourite from post two for driver Kenny Arsenault.
Race analyst Les MacIsaac likes the chances of Shadows Mystery to rebound from last week’s third place finish and hit the winner’s circle Thursday night.
“She got stung to the opening quarter last week but landing inside the big leavers tonight should give her a fairly easy path to the front,” MacIsaac said of Shadows Mystery. “If she gets a breather anywhere throughout the mile it could be all over.”
Miss Machqueen (Jason Hughes) draws post six in the field in her Island debut for owner Danny Birt of Stratford, P.E.I., after racing in conditioned events at Woodbine and Mohawk raceways in Ontario. Other entries include West River Ambyr (Steven Shepherd) with rail control and Maritime champion Ramblinglily (Walter Cheverie) drawing post five in her 2017 debut.
A compact field of five Open trotters will line up in race three for a $1,750 purse with Freddie looking to defend his four-race win streak for trainer/driver Campbell. Morosita Bi (Hughes) makes her Island debut from post four for owner Foxyhall Racing of Nova Scotia after racing at Saratoga Raceway in New York, where she took a record of 1:55.3 over the half-miler last season.
Race two has Derreen making her Island debut for trainer/driver Ken Wilkie after racing at Rideau Carleton Raceway in Ontario.
Red Shores Charlottetown and Summerside will also launch the 2017 edition of the Drive for Charity promotion. The promotion features 11 harness drivers teaming up with 11 businesses to raise money for 11 Island charities.
The driver’s roster has Marc Campbell, Jason Hughes, Corey MacPherson, Gilles Barrieau, Walter Cheverie, Gary Chappell, Ken Murphy, Kenny Arsenault, Adam Merner, Mike McGuigan and Terry Gallant. Every time a driver associated with the promotion wins, $25 will be donated to their charity. The promotion ends on October 29, 2017.
To view Thursday's harness racing entries, click on the following link: Thursday Entries - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(Red Shores)