Officials with Red Shores have sent out a preview of this weekend's racing action at the Charlottetown Driving Park and Summerside Raceway.
Balanchine to try and dance to second feature win
Balanchine will search for his second win in a row in the Race 11 Preferred Pace Saturday night at Red Shores' Charlottetown Driving Park.
First-race post time for the 12-dash card is 6:00 p.m.
Balanchine, named after famous dance choreographer George Balanchine, has drawn Post 5 for the $2,200 event and is coming into the race off a 1:56.4 win in his last race. Ron Matheson was in the bike for that start, but trainer Jack Matheson has listed Brodie MacPhee to drive the pacer. Balanchine is owned by Mike Pollard of Stratford and Joey Gallant of Charlottetown. A tough challenge looks to come from the outside, with Lucky Encounter (to be driven by Walter Cheverie) from Post 7 for trainer Dale Sobey and owner Foxyhall Racing Stable of Wallace, N.S. Another threat will be Blue Star Outlaw from Post 2 with Mark Bradley in the bike for trainer Jason Hughes, who will be competing in Truro, N.S. that night. Other entries are Inspired Art (Corey MacPherson), IDK (Vincent Poulton), Come Back (Lenny Myers), and Carnivore (Gary Chappell).
The co-feature is the Race 9 Fillies and Mares Open for a purse of $2,200. Trainer Hughes has drawn the inside posts with Lucky Boot Cam (MacPhee) leaving from the rail and Bunny Mach (Bradley) with Post 2. Donald and Steven MacRae of Vernon Bridge own both mares, with Lucky Boot Cam winning her Atlantic Aged Pacing Mares Series leg Sunday in Truro in 1:58.2, while Bunny Mach is winless since moving east in the spring. Also in that field is Highland Dancer (Ron Matheson), Ovation Killean (Vaughan Doyle), April Dawns Star (John Holmes), Private Joke (Chappell), JK Special (Cheverie) and Putyourwhipaway (Brad Smith).
The $1,750 back-up class will line up for Race 7 with top entries including Roscoes Child (Ken Murphy), Pownal Bay Mustang (Bradley) and Pinner (Chappell).
To view the harness racing entries for Saturday at the CDP, click the following link: Saturday Entries - Charlottetown Driving Park.
Erwin Andrew Memorial highlights Summerside card
The first leg of Erwin Andrew Memorial, sponsored by Meridian Farms and Standardbred Canada, headlines a 13-dash card Sunday at Summerside Raceway.
First-race post time is 1:00 p.m.
The $3,000 first division will line up for Race 6. Anita Blossom has the rail for driver Brian MacPhee and owner-trainer Ambyr Campbell. The Amigo Hall mare has been inconsistent in 2013, but when she puts it together she is a force to be reckoned with. Her top competition will come from JK Queen (Cheverie) from Post 2, and Honeymoonisover (Brian Andrew) from Post 6. Other entries are Delta Dental (Ron Gass), Lyrical Lindy (MacPherson), Sandhill Angel (Holmes), Hopedale Dora (Joey Pineau), and Dee Dee Pucker (Harold Shepherd).
The other division will line up in Race 8 with Real Housewife (Brian MacPhee) having drawn the rail for trainer Danny Romo and owner Grayland Farm of Pugwash. The four-year-old Ken Warkentin mare had been racing at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, and shows trotting consistent miles in 1:55-1:56. Buckling Banbury (MacPherson) will be a real threat from Post 2, as the mare owned by Bill, Blake and Brian Andrew has proven to be a consistent 2:00 trotter over the Island’s half-mile tracks. Another contender is Post 5 entry My Daisy Duke (Chappell) who trotted the fastest trotting half mile of :56.4 in Maritime history Saturday in a CDP qualifier. Other entries are Centrifical Force (Bradley), Incredible Her Bee (Lenny Myers), Berto Coquette (Terry Gallant), Mile Hill Belle (Paul Morrison), and Who Took That (Mike McGuigan).
The $1,850 pacing feature will head to post for Race 12 with Paphos (Cheverie) favoured from Post 4 for owner-trainer Don Milligan of Tyne Valley. Other top entries are Narragansett (Norris Rogers) and Outlawpositivcharg (Gallant).
To view the harness racing entries for Sunday at Summerside, click the following link: Sunday Entries - Summerside Raceway.
(With files from Red Shores)