On Friday night in New Brunswick, the spotlight will be shining brightly on Connell Park in Woodstock as the town celebrates Old Home Week.
Horse Racing New Brunswick (HRNB) will feature a 10-dash card at the half-mile track and race secretary Brent Briggs has assembled a quality field for the night's premier race. The main program will kick off at 6 p.m., but there will be a non-betting race scheduled for 5:45 p.m., as the second leg of the Atlantic Aged Mares Pacing Series, sponsored by Standardbred Canada and HRNB, attracted just two starters.
Friday night's premier event is the annual $8,000 Kelti Burnett Memorial featuring last year's winner back to defend his title, the Fredericton-owned American History. He has drawn post three in the five-horse field.
Corey Ford of Woodstock is back as a major sponsor for the Kelti Burnett Memorial and has been a great partner for Old Home Week racing at Woodstock.
Owned by Patrick Hill of Fredericton, N.B, American History will be driven by Saint John, N.B. native Dale Spence, who will pilot for his wife, MacKenzie, who currently trains the horse. Friday night's race is a tune-up for the 2024 Gold Cup & Saucer Trials happening in August on Prince Edward Island.
The nine-year-old son of American Ideal has been racing at Woodbine Mohawk Park and has been a winner this year in 1:48.4. A former Breeders Crown champion, he's the winner of more than $1.8 million and sports a 1:47 lifetime record. He was a finalist last season in the prestigious aforementioned Gold Cup & Saucer.
American History captured last year's Kelti Burnett at Woodstock, N.B in 1:55.1. He will be eyeing the track record that belongs to Chewy Gross taken in the Robert Mccain Memorial way back in 2006. This track record still stands today.
Owner Patrick Hill says he's been looking forward to getting the horse home and isettled and he is excited about Friday night.
"It's a great field to prepare for the Gold Cup elimination," he said. "It is great to bring 'American' home to N.B. first so the N.B. fan base can watch him go here at home."
Coming back to try and repeat in the Burnett Memorial was something he's been planning for the horse.
"Why not defend his win from last year? I'm hoping the weather cooperates and if it does, you are going to see some speed. Great field and obviously the rail horse [Twin B Tuffenuff] is a game horse," noted Hill.
Hill is confident in both American History and his driver.
"We didn't bring him all this way to hold back," said Hill. "I say let's get it on and good luck to all the horses and their connections. Remember, anything can happen in a horse race."
Hall of Famer Gilles Barrieau will be in town on Friday night and will pilot Governor's Plate winner Twin B Tuffenuff for trainer Ron Matheson from P.E.I. He has drawn the favourable rail position and will be looking to provide an upset to the defending champion.
Rollwithhottytoddy, a winner of one of the Governor's Plate elimination, ships in for Island trainer Trevor Hicken with Todd Trites picking up the catch-drive. Rounding out the field is a relative newcomer to the Maritimes, Tony Too Tall, making it two entries for Hicken with Myles Heffernan listed to drive, and another Matheson trainee in Blood Money will score from post five with Dr. Mitchell Downey in the bike.
The Friday card also features leg two of the New Brunswick Breeders Stakes that will go in three divisions. One filly division will carry a purse of $15,000 while two divisions for the colts and geldings will compete for a purse of $8,000 in each.
Dusty Lane Dixie, traind and driven by Gilles Barrieau, has been given top billing in the filly split by the race office at 7-5 on the morning . Owned by Moncton's David Lund, she's a daughter of Pang Shui and has made more than $42,000 in just 11 starts.
In the first colt division, it appears to be a two-horse race between the George Rennison-trained Resuscitate with Trites and Barrieau with New Brunswick-owned and bred Majestic Mason. He is trained byRichard Armstrong and owned by Stephen Downey of Quispamsis, N.B.
Barrieau will also be guiding the likely favourite in the other N.B. Breeders colt stakes as he has the outstanding House Edge Hanover, trained by Matheson owned by Everette Hanson of Maugerville, N.B. He took a new record this season of 1:54.2 in his last outing.
If fans can't make it to Connell Park in Woodstock, wagering will be available through the HPIbet platform and at participating simulcast venues including Moncton, Saint John and Fredericton.
Horse Racing New Brunswick would like to extend its gratitude to all participants on Friday night's program and a big thank you to all the volunteers and sponsors for their support of horse racing in New Brunswick.
Sponsors for the night include Corey Ford, who is sponsoring the Kelti Burnett Memorial, Woodstock First Nations, Exit Realty, Percy Jones family, Antworth family for the Dickinson Memorial, McLennan Strawberry Farm, Town of Woodstock, Standardbred Canada & HRNB for the Atlantic mares series race, and HRNB for the N.B. Breeders Stakes.
To view Friday's harness racing entries, click the following link: Friday Entries - Woodstock Raceway NB.
(With files from Horse Racing New Brunswick)