After a convincing win in the first leg of the Gary "Shack" Smith Memorial series last week, Paul Langille and Well Did will be looking for the series sweep in the $5,000 final scheduled for Saturday (June 4) at Exhibition Park Raceway.
Presented by Horse Racing New Brunswick and co-sponsored by Saint John's Best Western, the final is part of a seven-dash program that includes the second leg of the New Brunswick three-year-old stake as well as a $2,600 overnight event.
Race 1 and Race 2 will kickoff the action-packed program with the second leg of the New Brunswick Breeder stakes for fillies and colts. In the filly division, New Brunswick-owned KCS Starlight looks like the cream of the crop in the $4,900 second leg.
Owned by Don Bishop, Bruce MacDonald & Charlie Miles, she is fresh off a fourth-place finish in a gold division of the P.E.I Colt Stakes and paced her own mile in 1:57.3. She will have regular pilot Stephen Trites on board in the first race.
Race 2 will feature the colts in a $5,200 second leg and Brumby will be looking to continue his consistency at the Saint John racetrack. Adam Merner will drive the strapping son of Pang Shui for trainer Jamie Smith and the Five Guys Horses N Lies stable of P.E.I.
His toughest rival may come from post 3 in Frivolous Appeal and driver Dale Spence for trainer Blaine McKenna and owner Susan MacKeigan of P.E.I. He has a win and a second in two starts this season, and despite a jump in his last start, was beaten just half length in a P.E.I breeders stake.
American Risk, a standout pacer from Nova Scotia, will invade the Saint John track on Saturday in the top overnight event of the day. It carries a purse of $2,600 and also marks the return of Woodmere Ideal Art, an Autumn Gold series champion at E.P.R in 2021.
"Risk", as he is affectionately known by his syndicated owners group, is unbeaten in four outings this season at Truro Raceway and has won twice in 1:56.2 for trainer George Rennison. He was acquired by claim for $8,000 back in 2020 and has been a model of consistency since arriving on Maritime soil.
Woodmere Ideal Art makes his 2022 debut after a fantastic season last year. Owned by the Ultimate Stables of Greater Lakeburn, the pacer was out for a qualifier last week for Kyle Mason in 2:03 over a "good" going. Purchased as a yearling for $15,250 back in 2016, he nears the $100,000 mark in career earnings, accrued all at Maritimes tracks.
Saturday will also see the final of the Gary "Shack" Smith Memorial series final and Well Did will be looking for the series sweep for Paul Langille and owners Well Did Horse Owners Club. Now 11, the veteran pacer will be looking for his 45th win. He was a $70,000 yearling purchase and was acquired by the ownership group for $10,000 in a claiming race in Ontario in 2019.
Wagering is available live in Saint John on Saturday and teletheatre locations in Moncton and Fredericton. As always, patrons can wager on the HPIbet platform.
To view Saturday's harness racing entries, click the following link: Saturday Entries - Exhibition Park Raceway.
(Horse Racing New Brunswick)