Horse Racing New Brunswick will host the richest race card ever held at Connell Park in Woodstock, N.B. on Friday, July 7 featuring the $37,000 Barrieau - McIsaac Stakes for three-year-old pacers and the $22,000 New Brunswick Breeders Stakes for two-year-olds.
Seven races will start at the picturesque half-mile track at 6:30 p.m. The card also includes the $5,000 Barrieau - McIsaac Consolation. On the night, horsemen and women will compete for more than $70,000 in purses. Wagering is available through HPIbet and selected teletheatre locations in the province.
The Barrieau-McIsaac Stakes will be the richest horse race ever contested at Connell Park with a field of eight battling for a share of $37,000. With six horses across the gate and two trailers, drivers will be looking to work out the best trip for their horses over the half-mile track.
The connections of Starship Glyde, winner of his elimination, had an opportunity to pick their post and, not surprisingly, they took the inside position. The Control The Moment gelding was on cruise control winning in 2:00 last week, but will have to step it up on Friday night. He already has a 1:56.3 win this season. Patrick Shepherd will drive the 5-2 morning line choice for trainer Earl Watts and owner/breeder Claude Poirier.
Woodmere Dealer, another elimination winner in 2:00.2, will have post two for trainer/driver Jason Hughes and owner Donald MacRae. The son of Rollwithitharry is a half brother to sub-1:49 pacer Woodmere Stealdeal and looks to be coming into his own.
Following a third-place finish in her elimination, the Rollwithitharry filly Woodmere Jade will leave from post three for the Heffernan stable.
Bacononabiscuit looked sharp last week finishing second and will have the leading driver in the Maritimes, Marc Campbell, in the bike. He's won in 1:56 flat this season for trainer Stacey Darrach. The gelded son of Tobago Cays gets post four to work with.
Elm Grove Redwine, a daughter of Stonebridge Terror, and trainer/driver David Dowling will score from post five off a runner-up elimination effort.
Another Watts trainee in the final, the Malicious gelding Howmac Charmer drew post six. Mark Haig picks up the live catch-drive aboard the sophomore who was second in the eliminations as Shepherd stays with the favoured Starship Glyde.
The connections of the 2:00.1 elimination winner Singing Ramona opted with a trailing post seven for the final. Gilles Barrieau will catch-drive the homebred Sportswriter filly for trainer Jamie Smith, co-owner with Hubert MacDonald.
Lookoveryour will start from post eight as another trailer and comes from the barn of Marc Campbell. A driver has not yet been listed for the Stonebridge Terror filly, who was third in her elimination.
The Barrieau-McIsaac Stakes will close out the historic card as race seven.
The third race on Friday night will have the second highest purse ever offered at Connell Park with $22,000 on the line in the two-year-old N.B Breeders Stakes. All seven of the entrants will be making their first pari-mutuel starts.
Majestic Mason is the 5-2 morning line favourite from post four. The Arthur Blue Chip-Beautiful In Blue gelding is owned and bred by Stephen Downey and is trained and driven by Gilles Barrieau. He closed in :29.1 during his qualifier on June 23 at Charlottetown Driving Park to finish second, race timed in 2:04.3.
To view Friday's harness racing entries, click the following link: Friday Entries - Woodstock Raceway NB.
(With files from Horse Racing New Brunswick)