The harness racing calendar has officially turned the page into August and the countdown is on to Old Home Week 2015 as Red Shores Racetrack & Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park stages an exciting 13-dash program Saturday with post time at 6 p.m.
The Jackie Matheson stable will send out two entries with Artners In Crime (Ron Matheson) and Perfect Escape (Walter Cheverie) in the evening’s feature carded on race 12 with post time scheduled at 9:08 p.m. Si Semalu, owned by Foxyhall Racing of Summerside, P.E.I., is the 5-2 morning line favourite from post four for driver Jason Hughes and is coming off a 1:55.4 winning score. The field is loaded with top contenders with Governor’s Plate consolation winner Mach It Big rolling from outside post seven for trainer Neal Moase and driver Marc Campbell. The seven-year-old son of Mach Three is back on the Island after competing in the Provincial Cup in Truro last weekend. Smiley Bayama (Ron Gass), Waterside Light (Kenny Arsenault) and the ultra-consistent Cabo Pan Lucas (Vince Poulton) complete the line-up.
Some of the other highlights on the action-packed program include Eagle Jolt as the classifier’s choice in the Maurice Murphy 75th Birthday Pace in race 11. It could turn out to be a nice family winner’s circle photo if Marc Campbell gets his way off the rail with the gelding, who makes his 11th start of the campaign, while Starcastic looks to double in the Riviere & Smith Wedding Pace for team Matheson in race eight.
Ramblinglily returns to the city oval in the Mares Open for trainer Allan Jones and driver Walter Cheverie. The trotters take the stage races two and four with Osprey Impact (Mike Stevenson) and newcomer Strike A Light listed as leading contenders in their respective divisions.
Red Shores Summerside presents a 13-dash program Sunday. Post time is 1 p.m.
The historic Prince County oval is coming off a successful Callbeck Stakes card on Wednesday under the lights. The $2,100 feature will go in race 12 with 4:08 p.m. scheduled post time and Machinthesand being listed as the top choice, but he will have to overcome post eight for driver Ken Murphy. The pacer has five wins from 15 starts for trainer Hughie Murphy and the ownership team of Noonan Holdings Ltd. – Russell and Karen Noonan. “He’s been tearing up this track all summer and while the post won’t make it easy he’s got the speed to overcome it,” said race analyst Jared Stretch.
Narragansett has the rail in this match-up for Jason Hughes with Athletic Putnam drawing the three-hole for Walter Cheverie. The Paul Biggar trainee has been runner up in his last three starts. The field also includes Tyber Champ (Corey MacPherson), American Captain (Michael Campbell), Oh To Be Me (Gary Chappell), Lucky Encounter (Norris Rogers) and Kendal Gucci (Douglas Folkins JR).
The trotters line up in race two with Pure At Heart (Robert MacInnis), Majian Magic (James Ripley), Parkhill Jugernaut (Brian MacPhee), Honeymoonisover (Brian Andrew), Kims PJS (Lenny Myers) and I Aint No Lady (Mike Stevenson).
Deviliciously Good gets top billing in the William and Doris Companion Memorial Pace on race right. Mark Bradley is back in the bike to drive for trainer Garth Cole and owner Blaine Thibeau of Kensington, P.E.I.
Life Savior will go after his third win in a row in the afternoon’s 10th race when Corey MacPherson takes him off the wings from post seven. The veteran pacer, owned by Darla MacEachern of Kensington and trained by her father Duane, just went over the $100,000 lifetime earnings mark and has visited victory lane 57 times in his career.
Customers continue to enjoy new promotions including the Super High 5, Pick 3 and Pick 4. On-track players will be offered the Pick 5, Wild Horses tags on races two through 13 with jackpots.
To view this weekend's harness racing entries, click on the following links: Charlottetown / Summerside.
(Red Shores)