The first six spots for the 63rd edition of the Atlantic Lottery Gold Cup and Saucer will be decided Saturday evening (Aug. 13) at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park as part of Old Home Week racing.
The city track has a 7 p.m. first race post time for the spectacular 15-dash program with the $12,500 Gold Cup and Saucer trials lining up in races 14 and 15. The action-packed card also features the Atlantic Sires Stakes for three-year-old pacing fillies and the Birthplace Of Confederation series for aged pacing mares presented by the City of Charlottetown.
Trial 1 of the Gold Cup and Saucer has Cadillac Bayama the top choice from post seven with David Dowling picking up the catch-drive behind the Colin Johnson trainee for owners Brad Grant of Milton, Ont., and Ecurie Csl of Sorel-Tracy, Que. The Sunshine Beach four-year-old was a winner his last start in 1:50 flat over Woodbine Mohawk Park in Ontario.
Ideal Perception has post four in Trial 1 as top Canadian reinsman James MacDonald grabs of the lines of the Anthony Beaton trainee.
Also in Trial 1 are 2020 Gold Cup and Saucer champion Time To Dance (to be driven by Marc Campbell), Bayfield Beach (Jimmy Gagnon), Merito Hanover (Jason Hughes), Bettim Again (Redmond Doucet Jr.), Beachin Lindy (Stephen Charlton) and Twin B Tuffenuff (Kenny Arsenault).
The "Post Time Picks" likes the hard leaving Ideal Perception to control the race and punch his ticket to the final: “Ideal Perception has been razor sharp at Grand River in Ontario and just went gate to wire in 1:51.3. He also won his Trial in 2021 and was second in the Gold Cup final. MacDonald will have him rolling early so if they do control it from the hop, it could seal the deal.”
Trial 2 in race 15 will see the Sintra look to unload his back-class on his six foes from post four for driver MacDonald, trainer Jamie Smith and owner Thestable.ca of Guelph, Ont. The $1.5 million winner has hit the wire first in 39 of his 109 lifetime starts including a 1:50.4 victory at Mohawk on July 23.
Legion Seelster finished third in the 2021 Gold Cup and Saucer final and has rail control in Trial 2 fresh off a 1:50 victory with Gagnon in the seat for trainer Victor Puddy. Other entrants include Always B Sweet (Brodie MacPhee), Major Hill (Campbell), Laughagain Hanover (Hughes), Island Beach Boy (Corey MacPherson) and Rotten Ronnie (Doucet).
The "Post Time Picks" leans Sintra’s way in Trial 2: “Sintra has been first, second and third in his last three starts and closed out in an amazing 26 seconds two down at Woodbine Mohawk Park. It looks like he still has lots of step and MacDonald is home for the drive, so we think they book a first-class ticket to the Gold Cup Final.”
The top three horses from each trial will advance to the $100,000 Gold Cup and Saucer final at midnight on Aug. 20.
Be sure to join the crowd for Saturday’s phenomenal program or tune into the world wide broadcast at Redshores.ca. Online wagering is available at HPIBet.com.
To view Saturday's complete harness racing entries, click the following link: Saturday Entries - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(With files from Red Shores)