Harness racing will return to the historic Connell Park Raceway in Woodstock, N.B. on Monday, Aug. 4 at 2 p.m. (ADT), with New Brunswick Breeders Stakes for freshman and sophomore pacers as the main attraction.
The first of four $15,000 divisions will be for the two-year-old fillies in race three. All five starters are by first-crop sire Blood Money. Going For Blood is the morning line favourite and has drawn post one with trainer Kenny Arsenault also doing the driving. Going For Blood broke her maiden last Thursday at Red Shores Charlottetown in 1:59.2. Blood Magic is also coming off a win in 2:01 in a P.E.I. Colt Stakes Grassroots division on July 17 at Red Shores Summerside for trainer/driver Mike Downey and is the second choice by the oddsmaker from post three.
The next N.B. Breeders Stakes division in race five is for three-year-old colts and the smoking hot reinsman Marc Campbell and his son, trainer Landon Campbell, have the morning line favourite in DJ Mustang, a son of Betterthancheddar who took a new lifetime mark two starts ago in 1:54 at Charlottetown. Like A King, an N.B. Breeders Stakes winner in June, is the second choice in this division from post three with David Dowling driving for trainer Wayne Watson.
Seven starters will line up for the two-year-old colt division in race seven with the Mike Downey-trained and driven Blood Money colt Fire And Blood fresh off a 2:01.4 maiden-breaking win last Tuesday at Summerside. He is the morning line choice from post three. Tiziano is the fastest of this group early in his career courtesy of a 1:59.2 win at Truro Raceway in a July 25 maiden race. Clare MacDonald trains and drives the son of Blood Money who is the second choice starting from the inside post.
The final stakes division, which goes as race nine, is for three-year-old fillies. Favourite My Happy Place, a N.B. Breeders Stakes winner at two, will have New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame driver Gilles Barrieau for trainer Ron Matheson when the Shadow Play miss heads to the gate in post six. Starting to her inside, Mia is the second choice with Adam Merner as driver and trainer.
Monday's 10-race card will conclude with a $2,000 overnight top class, with the cooler sponsored by Culbert Farms.
Safety precautions have been implemented for the live card of harness racing. The Town of Woodstock and its Council members cleared Horse Racing New Brunswick to proceed with live racing at a special meeting recently.
Horse Racing New Brunswick would like to thank all horsemen and women who are taking part in the New Brunswick Day program. Wagering is available at all three simulcast locations in New Brunswick, including Saint John, Fredericton and Dieppe.
To view Monday's harness racing entries, click the following link: Monday Entries - Woodstock Raceway NB.
(With files from Horse Racing New Brunswick)