This Friday night at Connell Park in Woodstock, N.B., the elimination for the prestigious Barrieau-McIsaac Memorial Stakes will take place with seven starters including sophomore sensation Tobins Chester.
Owned by Donald MacRae of Vernon Bridge, P.E.I. the three-year-old Shanghai Phil gelding has reeled off seven straight stakes wins in the Maritimes and has bankrolled more than $62,000 in seasonal earnings from eight starts. His only loss in 2024 came in his first start of the campaign way back on May 26. Purchased by MacRae at the Atlantic Classic Yearling Sale in 2022 for $40,000, he's gone over $116,000 in lifetime earnings.
His last two miles were clocked in identical career-best times of 1:53.1 in which he scored two Old Home Week wins in his home province. Ashley Gamester trains Tobins Chester and driver Jason Hughes will look to keep the win streak intact. He has drawn post two this Friday night at Woodstock and will face six other rivals in the final race seven.
Two starters from the Myles Heffernan stable will take part Friday, including Check Your Chip and Greg Bailey from post one and Jackies Boy and Myles Heffernan Sr. from post four.
Merigo Magic, to be driven by Adam Merner, looks to be the biggest threat to Tobins Chester. A six-time winner this year, the Tobago Cays gelding hasn't finished worse than third in 10 starts to put his lifetime earnings over the $100,000 mark. He will start from post six for trainer Melissa Rennie.
Other starters in the field include Allaboutthecash (Brady Sweet, post three), Majestic Mason (Mark Haig, post five) and Swordfromthestone (Brodie MacPhee, post seven).
Friday's elimination will carry a $20,000 purse with the winning connections of the race also getting the chance to pick their own post position for the final with an estimated purse of $50,000 to go the following Friday.
There are seven more cards scheduled at the Woodstock half-mile track this season. Post time for Friday night's card is 6 p.m.
To view Friday's harness racing entries, click the following link: Friday Entries - Woodstock Raceway NB.
(With files from Horse Racing New Brunswick)