The finalists for the 56th running of the Governor’s Plate, presented by Summerside Chrysler Dodge, will be determined on Sunday, July 14 at Red Shores at the Summerside Raceway.
The Prince County oval has an 11-dash card starting at 1 p.m., with a pair of $8,500 Governor’s Plate eliminations in Races 9 and 11. The top four from each dash advance to the $35,000 Governor’s Plate final on July 20, while the other finishers will compete in the $12,500 Bob Dewar Governor’s Plate Consolation on July 19.
Bee Two Bee is the favourite in the first $8,500 elimination for the combination of trainer Ashley Gamester, owner Donald MacRae of Vernon Bridge, P.E.I., and catch-driver Ken Murphy. The Sunshine Beach seven-year-old was a winner in his return to P.E.I. on June 29, as he toured Red Shores Charlottetown in 1:52.4.
Bee Two Bee has post five to work with on Sunday and faces six rivals, including Island Beach Boy (Brodie MacPhee) from post one, Middleton Terror (David Dowling) in post two, Time To Dance (Marc Campbell) from post three, Batterup Hanover (Paul Langille) leaving from post four, Rollwithhottytoddy (Myles Heffernan Sr.) out of post six and Blood Money (Gilles Barrieau) in post seven.
The Backstretch Beat has Bee Two Bee as the most probable winner of the day: “It’s hard to dream up any scenario where the road to the winner’s circle doesn’t go through Bee Two Bee in this first elimination.”
The second $8,500 elimination features defending Governor’s Plate champion Roll Em (pictured above) in post three for P.E.I. based owners Ryan MacLeod and Savage Stable of Souris, Brady Doyle of Stratford and trainer Brent Campbell of Charlottetown. Marc Campbell drives the 32-time winner as he comes into the race fresh off a 1:53.1 score in the $7,500 Lindsay Cup at Truro Raceway in Nova Scotia.
Walter Dale Invitational winner All Bets On Tex (Murphy) has rail control in the field of seven, with a group that also features post two starter Saulsbrook Ian (Corey MacPherson), Fern Hill General (MacPhee) from post four, Malignity (Langille) with post five, One Eight Hundred (Dr. Mitchell Downey) from post six and Twin B Tuffenuff (Barrieau) with post seven.
The Backstretch Beat likes Roll Em to visit the winner’s circle: “Roll Em toyed with his rivals in the Lindsay Cup in Truro and with a solid post on the starting gate [Sunday] afternoon he will be hard to beat again. The final four spots for the Governor’s Plate final will be decided in here and no question he is the favourite to defend his crown.”
The program also features two $4,500 Ruby Chappell Memorial Open Mares eliminations in Races 6 and 8 with the top four from each advancing to the July 20 final.
Catch all the action live at the track or tune into the worldwide broadcast at redshores.ca. Check out the Player Portal for race programs, driver profiles and more. For entries, click the following link: Sunday Entries - Red Shores Summerside.
(Red Shores)