The very best aged pacers on the eastern seaboard will band together for the Saturday evening program (Aug. 25) at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at Charlottetown Driving Park, while the Joe O’Brien Memorial and Lady Slipper Stakes take centre stage Sunday afternoon (Aug. 26) at Red Shores at Summerside Raceway.
The 13-dash Saturday program at Charlottetown gets underway at 6 p.m., with Do Over Hanover favoured in the race 12 Preferred Pace for a $2,650 pot. Fresh off a pair of Invitational wins during Old Home Week, the Chris MacKay trainee is saddled with the outside in the field of six for driver Jason Hughes and owners Donald MacRae and Allard Racing Inc. In Spades gets the respect of race secretary Gerard Smith as the morning line favourite from post 3 aftera second-place finish in the $20,000 James “Roach” MacGregor Gold Cup and Saucer consolation. Austin Sorrie trains and drives the pacer. Euchred has been a major force on the Invitational circuit in 2018 and gets post 4 this week for the duo of driver Adam Merner and trainer Terry Gallant.
Race analyst Les MacIsaac thinks the outside post won’t impede Do Over Hanover on his way to the winner’s circle.
“Do Over Hanover has got the versatility to handle any style as he's shown in
his last two races, both impressive wins,” MacIsaac said. “No matter what strategy is employed tonight, it might be tough preventing a three-peat.”
Other Preferred entries include Nabber Again (Ambyr Campbell), Mr Irresistible (Gilles Barrieau) and Tobinator (Corey MacPherson).
The top pacing mares meet again in the Open class in race 11, with Prettyndangerous installed as the favourite from post 5 with Barrieau in the bike for trainer Bo Ford. Other top entries in the full field include Ramblinglily (Ken Murphy) and Traces Of Purple (Kenny Arsenault).
Cartoon Daddy has rail control in the ninth-race Preferred 2 Pace with Dale Spence at the lines for trainer Rachel Andrew. The field also includes Sucrose Hanover (MacPherson) and Elm Grove Kaboom (Hughes).
The 12-dash Sunday program at Summerside has a 1 p.m. start time, with two-year-old pacers dotting the program in stakes action. Race nine is the lone O’Brien Memorial Gold division, carrying a purse of $16,000. Red Dirt Rocknroll has been installed the morning-line choice from post 2 with Marc Campbell in the bike for trainer Lenny Myeres, who co-owns the colt with Jack Quinn. The two-year-old son of Articulator was a second-place finisher in his latest outing, pacing in 1:57.3 to Red Dirt Boomer. Post 8 belongs to Red Dirt Boomer Sunday afternoon for trainer-driver Gilles Barrieau, while the undefeated Woodmere Bolt has post 4 for trainer-driver Earl Smith.
Race analyst Bo Ford puts his selection on the post 2 entry in the Gold division.
“Red Dirt Rocknroll has our respect. With Campbell drawing an inside post, he should be able to dictate the terms of what type of trip he wants,” Ford said. “One that might include a little Rock ‘n’ roll, we hope.”
A pair of O’Brien Memorial Grassroots divisions line up for $6,000 purses in races 2 and 8.
The Lady Slipper has its top $19,000 division in race 11. Magical Mistress puts her undefeated streak on the line with Adam Merner in the bike from post 5 for trainer Stephen Gass and owner Barry Martin. So Much More has post 3 fresh off a 1:57.1 new career best in her latest for driver Mark Bradley and trainer Tom Weatherbie, while Woodmere Tango is selected for third from post 2 for trainer-driver Clare MacDonald.
The $5,500 Lady Slipper Grassroots divisions line up in races 4, 6 and 10.
For more information, go to www.redshores.ca.
(Red Shores)