The rescheduled second division of the Cecil Ladner Memorial Invitational Pace will headline the Thursday, June 12 program at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
First race post time is 6 p.m. (ADT) for the 14-dash presentation, culminating in the $9,000 Ladner Memorial division, which was postponed on June 7 after heavy rains and thunderstorms cancelled the final three dashes that evening.
Twin B Tuffenuff is pegged as the 5-2 morning line favourite in the Ladner Invitational from post three for driver Gilles Barrieau and trainer Ron Matheson. The 10-year-old son of Rock N Roll Heaven has already been a two-time winner in three many local starts this season, including a sparkling 1:54 victory on May 17. Patrick Morris of Charlottetown owns the career winner of $785,114.
His rivals include post four starter Merigo Magic, to be driven by Adam Merner, fresh off a sharp 1:56.1 victory defeating Twin B Tuffenuff. Bounty Hunter (Kenny Arsenault) will leave from post two while post one starter Jackies Boy (Myles Heffernan Sr.) kicks off his four-year-old season after earning more than $100,000 as a sophomore.
Rounding out the field are post five starter Bee Two Bee (Jason Hughes), a recent winner in 1:55.2 from the Ashley Gamester barn, Tony Too Tall (Ryan DesRoche) for trainer Trevor Hicken with post six and High Voltage Deo (Corey MacPherson) from the Brendan Curran barn with post seven.
The "Post Time Picks" lean to Twin B Tuffenuff: “Twin B Tuffenuff had it his own way last week cutting it all out and just getting nipped at the very end. It looks like a similar trip could be in the works and if that’s how it plays out, he could go all the way this time.”
Race two will feature the first leg of the All Star Cresting Trot Series for three-year-old trotters, racing for a $4,500 purse. Bless Me Father (Marc Campbell) gets the morning line nod at 5-2 for owner/trainer Donna Van Meer. The Father Patrick gelding was a qualifying winner in 1:59.4 on June 5 in Charlottetown. Supreme Rockette has post one with Barrieau in the seat for trainer Mike McGuigan. Fire The Rocket (Jason Hughes) has post three with Oceanview Nikki (McGuigan), Little Arrow (Myles Heffernan Sr.) and Arete Hanover (Corey MacPherson) completing the field.
The race four International Snowmobile Congress Pace has pacing fillies and mares set to battle for $3,700 with Never Shui Never (Barrieau) looking to add to her win totals. Sensational Gal (Norris Rogers) and Woodmere Kennedie (Marc Campbell) appear to be top threats in a deep group.
Pacing fillies and mares will line up for $3,350 in race five in the Paul McKinnon Memorial with Watch Me Shake It (Arsenault) the one to beat for owner Maurice Coady of Charlottetown. Woodmere Lizzie (MacPherson) and Wired Blue Chip (Marc Campbell) will look to spoil from outside posts.
To view Thursday's harness racing entries, click the following link: Thursday Entries - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(Red Shores)