The Island Oceans Trot Challenge, presented by Burkie By The Bay Stable, headlines the Thursday, July 31 card at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park with a pair of $6,500 divisions showcasing Atlantic Canada’s top diagonal-gaited performers.
The 16-dash card starts off at 6 p.m. (ADT) while the first $6,500 Island Oceans Trot Challenge division lines up in race two, with with recent Prince Edward Island newcomer Helpfull Princes as the morning line favourite from post three for trainer Luke Burke and owner Robin Burke of Brackley, P.E.I. The five-year-old Helpisontheway-Blueridge Abigail mare will be driven by Adam Merner.
Fresh off a career-best 1:59.4 win in her latest three weeks ago, Majian Salsa will return to Charlottetown for trainer/driver Jim Ripley and owner Marylea Ripley of Amherst, N.S. The six-year-old daughter of Tad The Stud-Askmetodance drew post one.
Also in the field are Oceanview Daisy (Myles Heffernan Sr.), Rocket Blast (Corey MacPherson) and Mile Hill Gus (Marc Campbell).
The second split in race nine has a grudge match resuming between the top two trotters on the Eastern Seaboard.
Buckhead Ridge is pegged as the 5-2 morning line choice from post three in the $6,500 contest for driver Marc Campbell, trainer Landon Campbell and owner Brady Doyle of Stratford, P.E.I. The five-year-old son of Nuncio-Tuonela is an eight-time winner from 10 starts on P.E.I. this season. His only two losses came in two track record performances by Fight Song from the Ashley Gamester barn for owner Donald MacRae of Vernon Bridge, P.E.I. Fight Song has post six and will be driven by regular reinsman Jason Hughes.
Other entries are Curadh (Ryan Desroche), Rippled And Ready (Brett Clow), Majian Tango (Jim Ripley) and Glider Man (David Dowling).
The evening’s 15th dash brings together a wide-open group of fillies and mares for a $4,350 purse in the pacing feature with Rosetown Mary taking a slight drop in class off a fourth-place finish against the best mares on the East Coast in the Ruby Chappell Memorial. She will start from post five for trainer/driver Corey MacPherson and gets top billing for owners Rosetown Stable of Stratford and Taylor MacPherson of Cornwall, P.E.I.
Get Answers (Marc Campbell) will start just to her outside from post six and comes off a solid 1:55.1 victory while the far outside has Sugar Bowl (Gilles Barrieau), who lands post seven here for trainer Jeff Holmes. Ruby Chappell Memorial final winner Plain Jane (Paul Langille) gets post four in the field. The dash also contains Talldarklatte (Brodie MacPhee), Lady Devine (David Dowling) and Windemere Saddy (Adam Merner).
The "Post Time Picks" selects Rosetown Mary to win: “Rosetown Mary was up against the best mares on the east coast and only two lengths away at the finish. Slightly better draw and with the way she can fire home, we think she seals the deal in Charlottetown.”
Race right is the McWade Race Night 2025 Pace.
To view Thursday's harness racing entries, click the following link: Thursday Entries - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(With files from Red Shores; photo of Fight Song winning on July 10 at Charlottetown Driving Park)