The finest three-year-old pacers in Atlantic Canada will compete in a pair of $6,000 eliminations for the Barrieau-McIsaac Memorial Stakes this Saturday (July 2) at Exhibition Park Raceway,
The two eliminations will determine the eight finalists for the July 9 showdown. The stakes event is named in honour of Francis McIsaac and Rufin Barrieau, two of the most well known and highly regarded horsemen in the Maritimes.
In the afternoon's first elimination, Stash It Away comes in as the one to beat and will have "rail control" for trainer Kevin McLean and driver Corey MacPherson. The Pang Shui-Allamerican Nappa gelding has made more than $70,000 so far in his career, winning 10 of his 15 starts -- not bad for a $17,500 yearling purchase.
Stash It Away will have a handful of competitive pacers to turn aside. Fern Hill Gusto has been stifling hot as of late, winning his last start in a new mark of 1:54.4 for trainer/driver Marc Campbell. He will start from post five, which should be a good post with his versatility.
Alldawaytocardigan, another standout this season, will start from post six. He has only gone down to defeat once this year for Myles Heffernan, finishing second by less than a length to the aforementioned Fern Hill Gusto. A $17,500 yearling purchase, Alldawaytocardigan has earned more than $30,000 so far in his career.
In the second elimination, it appears that Fern Hill General should attract a lot of respect from the punters at the windows. Hailing from the stable of veteran horseman Earl Smith, the Malicious-Noble Ellen gelding has more than $51,000 in the bank and a lifetime mark of 1:55.1 taken at Truro Raceway. Leaving from post five, he will be handled by Brodie MacPhee.
New Brunswick is well represented with three horses locally owned. They were fortunate at the draw as well as they have posts one through three in the second elim.
Big Time Brawler will look to keep his momentum going for owner Dr. Mitchell Downey of Saint John, as he comes off a new mark taken at Red Shores at Charlottetown Driving Park in his last start in 1:58.4. He's a homebred son of Sportswriter.
KCS Starlite was razor sharp in her last outing at Truro Raceway as she paced own her mile in 1:55.1 behind the track record-equalling Therealprincess in the Donnie & George Turner Memorial Stakes. Stephen Trites will drive the daughter of Source Of Pride for her Fredericton connections, trainer Charles Miles and co-owners Donald Bishop and Bruce MacDonald.
Orrsterror, yet another entry from New Brunswick, owned by breeder Dale Orr of Saint John and Robert Orr of Oak Bay, was foaled in the province and is trained and driven by Gilles Barrieau. She's been coming on strong on the stakes trail after some wins at Exhibition Park Raceway before being sent to P.E.I. Orrsterror has bankrolled more than $12,000 this season and scored a new life's mark at Summerside in 1:59.1.
Others to watch in this elimination are Soul Assassin and Howmacs Maximus.
Saturday's first race will provide the chance to watch the two-year-old N.B. Breeders Stakes. Five entries will battle it out for the lion's share of a $11,500 purse.
Making her career debut, Miss Countour is the favourite from the inside post. The daughter of Shadow Play-Raquel was foaled in nearby Sussex by the well known Charlotte Ranch. David Dowling drives and trains the filly, who was a $26,000 yearling purchase by David & Matt Burke and Don MacNeill. She was impressive in her qualifier last week as she closed a nice last quarter in :29.4.
Brookdale Seb, another rookie by Shadow Play and a $10,000 yearling purchase, looks like another top choice who will start from post three for trainer/driver Bernard McCallum. He was a winner in his qualifier for the Polleys and closed his final quarter in :28.3.
Three locally stabled entries will also take part with Lazarium, Nannie Bernice and Silent Movie Star rounding out the freshmen.
Saturday's card will feature a total of seven dashes, which will get underway at 1 p.m.
To view Saturday's harness racing entries, click on the following link: Saturday Entries - Exhibition Park Raceway.
(With files from Horse Racing New Brunswick)