New Brunswick harness racing action resumes on Friday, Aug. 4 with a super stacked program beginning at 5:30 p.m. at Connell Park in Woodstock, N.B.
The program features the timeless classic, The Maritimer stakes, for three-year-old pacing fillies and the Kelti Burnett Memorial Invitational Pace. There will be $48,700 in purse money offered, including the $23,600 purse for the Maritimer, the $8,000 purse for the Burnett Memorial and two top overnight events. The John H. Davies Memorial Trot will go for $4,000 while the Standardbred Canada Mares Aged Pacing Series second leg goes for $5,000.
In the Burnett Memorial, all eyes will be on the newcomer, American History, who is owned by Patrick Hill of Fredericton, N.B. The eight-year-old son of American Ideal heads into Friday's contest fresh off a second-place effort at Woodbine Mohawk Park where he paced his own mile in 1:49.1. He is being prepped for an appearance in the prestigious Gold Cup and Saucer later this month at Red Shores Charlottetown.
American History will score from post four. Dale Spence picks up the driving assignment and his wife, Mackenzie, handles the training chores. He will have a steep test including the returning champ of the Burnett, Time To Dance and Marc Campbell, from post five.
The Burnett field also includes American Risk (Todd Trites), Mantario (Myles Heffernan), No Plan Intended (Corey MacPherson) and Pick A Genre (Mitchell Downey).
In the Maritimer, it looks to be a battle of fillies from post one and two. Our Girl Annie and Corey MacPherson rides a two-race win streak and has banked more than $38,000 this year. The Eddy Doucette trainee will leave from post two.
Singing Ramona, who has finished top three in seven of nine her races this year, will have the inside position with Marc Campbell driving for trainer Jamie Smith.
Lining up to their outside will be Silent Movie Star (Dale Spence), Howmac Jazzy Girl (Todd Trites) and Woodmere Jade (Myles Heffernan).
In the Standardbred Canada-sponsored Aged Mares Pacing Series, Plain Jane comes in fresh off an eye-catching series win at Truro Raceway in 1:53.1. She has the Maritime dash king Marc Campbell as trainer and driver and will leave from post two.
Therealprincess, driven by Mitchell Downey and trained by Ellen Stevenson, will look for a solid effort from post three. She was fourth in last week's Walter Dale Memorial racing against the boys.
Chelski will make her second start on Maritime soil off a second-place effort in her local debut, charted in 1:54.4. The Jennifer Doyle trainee has the inside post with MacPerson picking up the catch-drive.
Other starters in the second leg are Vines To Heaven (Todd Trites) and J J Breanne (John Davidson).
John H. Davies' two sons, Ivan Davies and Owen Davies, will both harness up starters in their dad's memorial race.
Todd Trites will drive the Owen Davies-trained and owned Gone Madigan from post three, while Ivan Davies will have the U.S. owned Marauder Seelster starting from post four.
They'll have last year's winner of the Davies Memorial Trot to contend with as 82-time winner Freddie will have post two for trainer/driver Campbell.
Rounding out the trotting event is Tequila Tuesday, who hopes Friday will be his night for trainer/driver Heffernan.
In total, eight races will be in store for the fans at Connell Park and Universum Media will have the program streamed on its official YouTube channel for fans that can't make it to the track on Friday.
To view Friday's harness racing entries, click the following link: Friday Entries - Woodstock Raceway NB.
(With files from Horse Racing New Brunswick)