A world class field of eight will contest the $20,000 James (Roach) MacGregor Gold Cup and Saucer Consolation, presented by The Guardian, as Friday's race 12 finale at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park as part of Old Home Week racing.
The 12-dash card gets underway at 7 p.m. The MacGregor Consolation will be Maritime Invitational star The Rev's final appearance on the racetrack as he retires from racing. The winner of $650,283 in lifetime earnings will lead the post parade.
Twin B Tuffenuff has post three as the morning line favourite with veteran reinsman Kenny Arsenault in the bike for trainer Ron Matheson and owner Pat Morris of Charlottetown, P.E.I. The Rock N Roll Heaven seven-year-old boasts the highest bankroll in the field with $603,000 in lifetime earnings while winning 25 races. Twin B Tuffenuff lost out in a photo to Bettim Again for the final spot in the Gold Cup and Saucer during Trial 1 action last Saturday night.
Legion Seelster finished third in the 2021 Gold Cup and Saucer but wound up fourth in Trial 2 Saturday evening and now leaves from post two in the consolation for Rideau Carleton reinsman Jimmy Gagnon and trainer Victor Puddy at 3-1 morning line odds.
Cadillac Bayama has the rail with David Dowling in the seat for trainer Colin Johnson and is the pick of Peter MacPhee in the "Post Time Picks" to win the dash: “Cadillac Bayama had to race from post seven in the Trial but didn’t really fire and missed the top three. Now he draws the pole position and Dowling will have him tucked in the entire way, so we think he gets the perfect trip and hits the wire first.”
Also in the field is Always B Sweet (Brodie MacPhee), Rotten Ronnie (Redmond Doucet Jr.), Batterup Hanover (Paul Langille), YS Mathis (Marc Campbell) and Bayfield Beach (Jason Hughes).
A pair of $16,600 Gold divisions of the Lady Slipper Stakes for three-year-old pacing fillies hit the track in Races 9 and 11.
Therealprincess will put her perfect season to the test again in Race 9 from the rail with Corey MacPherson in the bike for trainer and co-owner Eddy Doucette and co-owners Blaine Thibeau, Gordon MacLeod and Grant Mann. The Source Of Pride filly has won all seven of her starts in 2022 while banking $54,227.
Race 11 will see Cougar On A Terr look to double up on Old Home Week from post three in her $16,600 Gold split for driver Danny Gillis, co-owner and trainer Walter Walker and partner, the late Richard MacInnis of Mabou, N.S., who passed away on Wednesday.
The Lady Slipper Stakes has $8,300 Grassroots divisions for sophomore fillies in Races 1, 3, 5 and 7.
The five horses that failed to make the Gold Cup and Saucer or the MacGregor Consolation race off in Race 10 in the Old Home Invitational. Spectrum Seelster (Brandon Campbell) is the top contender from the outside post five for trainer Chris MacKay and owners Charles, Maxim and Daniel Gaudreault of Quebec.
To view Friday's harness racing entries, click the following link: Friday Entries - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(Red Shores)