Harness Racing PEI has launched the Gold Cup Race for the Ages as part as the Countdown to the Cup series leading up the 50th edition of the Gold Cup & Saucer
.
Nine Gold Cup horses from the past were chosen during a trackside ceremony with harness driver Michael MacDonald acting as honorary drawmaster.
Vance Cameron, the Island’s voice of Island racetracks at Charlottetown and Summerside, recorded the fictional race in the studio, which ends at the top of the stretch with all horses fighting for position. Fans have an opportunity to listen and vote for the horse they think should win the Gold Cup Race for the Ages online at harnessracingpei.com.
Voting ends on Thursday August 20, 2009 when Cameron will head back to the studio to record the finish of the race. The winner will be unveiled on Gold Cup night Saturday August 22, 2009.
The horses and post-positions for the Gold Cup Race for the Ages appears below.
(PP1) Firebolt - repeat winner in 1969-70 for driver Art Porter and Cruickshanks' Maple Leaf Stable. First horse to equal track record in Gold Cup.
(PP2) Silent Swing - millionaire pacer and current track record holder prevailed in 2007 Gold Cup and Saucer after second-place finish in 2006.
(PP3) Power Baron- the dominant Maritime horse of the 1970s smashed CDP track record capturing 1976 Classic.
(PP4) Sauls Pride - PEI's first 2:00 miler, sandwiched two Gold Cup wins around a second-place finish in 1981 Gold Cup.
(PP5) Ventall Rainbow - winner of 1975 and 1977 Cup and Saucer for 'Mr. Gold Cup' Mike MacDonald. First horse to start in four Gold Cups.
(PP6) Andys Son - Whebby's standout, only three-time winner of Gold Cup classic, undefeated in six heats in Gold Cup action.
(PP7) Little Black Book - only mare in field, she set Canadian record for pacing mares in Gold Cup Trial and won 1993 Cup and Saucer handily.
(PP8) Sand Olls Dexter - the last two-time winner, in 2003-04, he also set track record in 2005 Trial race, before finishing third in bid for three-peat.
(PP9) Dees Boy - first two-time winner of Gold Cup and Saucer, winning inaugural event in 1960 and repeating in 1962.
Go to harnessracingpei.com for the Gold Cup Race for the Ages.
(Harness Racing PEI)
Another major horse missing
Another major horse missing is Driven To Win, the year Wally Hennessey won with him was one of the most exciting GCS I have ever witnessed.
I like the idea of what they
I like the idea of what they are doing, but they are missing the horse that put on the most impressive and powerful display in Gold Cup history. I'm talking about Native Born. There will never be another winner as impressive as this fella was.