There is nothing more important in harness racing, especially on a half-mile racetrack, than post position. So when Outlawpositivcharg and driver Terry Gallant drew the rail in the Cecil Ladner Memorial Final Saturday night at the Charlottetown Driving Park Entertainment Centre luck was on their side
. Post time for the big night of racing, which also features the Maritime Breeders Colts final and the Ken Starrat Memorial for three-year-old fillies is 7 p.m. The Bell Aliant Race Day broadcast begins at 6:45 p.m. at www.harnessracingpei.com.
Outlawpositivcharg, owned by Fred Lamont, Calgary, Alta., loves the front end and with his chart lines showing opening quarters in :27.3 and :27.4, you can bet he’ll be leaving hard trying to outrun the other post time favourite, Astronomical and driver Kenny Arsenault from Post 3 off the wings. Arsenault drove the former world-champion to victory in last week’s elimination sprinting to the lead and posting the opening panel in a fast :27.3 seconds. The other divisional winner, St Petes Star and driver Danny Romo have drawn Post 4. The horse’s owner Paul Gray of Pugwash, N.S. said in a recent interview that his driver was instructed to change the game plan this year. The problem is St Pete Star doesn’t really leave that strong so look for that powerful finishing kick.
The $7,500 final also includes such heavy weights as Mighty Snd Strong from the Patrick Morris Stable of Charlottetown. The Ron Matheson trainee was impressive last week sweeping late to grab second for driver Gilles Barrieau. Barrieau isn’t in town so Walter Cheverie, one of the top drivers in the region, has been hired to drive while Darren Crowe will take over driving duties on San Marco Hanover (PP7) for Ryan Ellis of Brookfield, N.S. Negrito, who has a large fan base from Kensington, P.E.I., raced his way into the final with a fourth place finish in the elimination for driver Gary Chappell with award winners Riccaras Sun, owned by Ken MacInnis of Charlottetown and Royal Millennium with Jason Hughes completing the field.
Southview Spirit will try to extend her unbeaten streak in the Ken Starrat Memorial final in Race 10. The Western Paradise-Southview Sasha daughter has been perfect this season for trainer Charles McGee and owners Elwood Lawton, Stratford and Arlene Harris, Cornwall. Watch out for R ES Mary with Earl Smith and Run Them Down from the Downey Stables of Saint John, N.B. The purse is $30,012.
War Dancer has been stealing the headlines in the three-year-old colt division. Michael Stevenson will drive the undefeated colt in the $26,054 final from Post 2 for owners Dan Ross of Belfast, P.E.I, Charles Seymour of Fredericton, N.B. and Boyd MacDonald Prodce Ltd. of Crapaud. The match-up includes Woodmere Fastball, Island Historic, Porthill Galaxy, Extreme Measure, Dov Bears Dream, Urge to Win and Porthill Gatsby.
Click here to view tonight's entries.
(Harness Racing PEI)