Speed has not been an issue for Mozartsplace in the early stages of his four-year-old season, but he will have to overcome his breaking issue to knock off the iron tough competition in the Thursday night (June 15) featured pace at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
First race post time is 6:30 p.m. for the 12-dash program with Mozartsplace drawing the outside post in the six-horse, race 11 featured event. The $2,000 race has Gilles Barrieau driving the four-year-old son of Ponder for trainer Jackie Matheson and owners Shawn MacAdam and Brad Duplisea, all of Charlottetown. Mozartsplace was second in his four-year-old debut on June 3, but made a break at the start, subsequently qualifying in 1:58.4 with a quick :28.1 closing quarter on June 10. He is established as the morning line choice for Thursday's contest.
Jeb is slated as second choice from post three while riding a two-race win streak including a 1:56.4 victory on June 3 for trainer/driver Jason Hughes and Island owners Robi Hughes and Eric and Blair MacLauchlan.
Elm Grove Kaboom will be driven by Earl Smith from post five and has yet to finish worse than second in six seasonal starts, but was placed sixth in his latest outing for a break late in the mile.
Race analyst Les MacIsaac likes the inside post of Jeb in the Thursday evening feature.
"Jeb has dominated from start to finish in both of his races this year and there aren’t many out there that will catch him when he’s throwing in those closing panels in :28 and change," MacIsaac said. "If he secures the lead uncontested, there could be nothing but open road ahead."
Other entries include Likely To Win (Adam Merner), Oh To Be Me (Gary Chappell) and Simon Said (Corey MacPherson).
The Open Trot lines up for a $1,850 purse with Freddie fresh off a 1:58.1 victory for trainer/driver Marc Campbell and owner Three Wisemen Stable of Kingston, P.E.I. The post six starter will again face off with post seven starter Morosita Bi (Hughes), who was an impressive 1:58.1 winner in her Island debut two starts ago. Other top entries include Osprey Impact (Walter Cheverie) and Holy Molie Maggie (Chappell).
The Canadian Explosives Industry Association trot hits the track in race six with Phantom Beau (Mark Bradley) favoured over Parkhill Juggernaut (Ambyr Campbell) and Majian Chester (Jim Ripley).
Catch the action live at the track or on Redshores.ca.
(Red Shores)