Live harness racing continues on Saturday, Aug. 23 at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park with a competitive field of Preferred pacers in the evening feature.
The 12-dash program kicks off at 6 p.m. (ADT).
The Preferred 2 Pace in race 11 will be one of the most competitive contests of the card with five talented starters squaring off for the $4,700 purse.
British Columbia-bred Nothing Bugs Me is the 5-2 morning line favourite with rail control. David Dowling will hold the reins for on the four-year-old Custard The Dragon-You Know Nothing gelding, who has won his last four starts, including the Joe and Wal Hennessey Memorial during Old Home Week in Charlottetown. Nothing Bugs Me has been forwardly placed in nearly every outing this season and will be dangerous with rail control to set the tempo. Vaughan Doyle trains the streaking pacer, a former B.C. stakes competitor looking for his first Preferred-level win, for owner Chris Kelly of Calgary, Alta.
Better Than Spring will try to spoil the party as the 3-1 second choice from post five for driver Myles Heffernan Sr. and trainer Trevor Hicken. The Bettors Delight-Spring Break gelding has been in strong form this season, last racing in the James (Roach) MacGregor Gold Cup and Saucer Consolation.
House Edge Hanover, to be driven by Ken Murphy, has post four and looms as a major contender at 7-2 for trainer Ron Matheson. The Betting Line-Hug A Dragoness gelding has been consistently hitting the board in this class, including a recent third-place finish where he fired home in 28.2.
Also in the field are JK Last Chance from the Kenny Arsenault barn in post two with Mike McGuigan driving and Pendleton Rodeo, who has post three for trainer/driver Adam Merner.
The Backstretch Beat sides with the Hicken-trained Bettor Than Spring: “Bettor Than Spring had a brutal trip in his Gold Cup and Saucer trial and a horrible post in the consolation. He's a great horse, and great horses can bounce back quickly, so he'll be tough to beat.”
Earlier on the card, the $3,850 Omer Caissie Memorial in race six will line up six starters with the Jeff Holmes-trained pacer Navalny and driver Brady Sweet as the morning line choice over T H Boomtown (David Dowling) and Sports Teller (Adam Merner).
To view Saturday's harness racing entries, click the following link: Saturday Entries - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(With files from Red Shores)