After a strong start to her career, Fitness First is listed as the one to beat in the $8,000 MacDonald Family Pace for two-year-old fillies on Friday evening, Aug 8 during the opening program of Old Home Week 2025 at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
The 11-dash program gets underway at 6 p.m. (ADT), with the rookie fillies featured in race four.
Leaving from post three, Fitness First is the 5-2 morning line favourite for trainer/driver Corey MacPherson and owner Jim Gorman of South Melville, P.E.I. The daughter of Stay Hungry and Apogee Hanover was a winner in her last two outings, including a 1:57.4 victory in her latest at Charlottetown Driving Park.
Lila Berry, trained and driven by Michael McGuigan, will leave from the rail and comes in off third-place finishes in her last two. The daughter of Arthur Blue Chip out of Next Life Hanover, who broke her maiden at first asking in 1:59 in late June, is owned by Little Pond Stables of Little Pond, P.E.I.
Ea Money Maker will start from post two with Marc Campbell driving for the Saul Lanigan barn, with Lanigan co-owning the Sweet Lou-Always B Dreaming filly alongside local owner Chris Farrell and Mark Lanigan of Stratford, P.E.I. She was a winner in her latest in 2:00.2.
Into The Maelstrom, to be driven by Ken Murphy, is fresh off a qualifier from the Clifford Murphy barn with Dr. Mary McNiven of Nine Mile Creek, P.E.I. owning the Sunshine Beach-Artcotic filly, who will debut from post four.
You Already Have was third her last race at Summerside Raceway for the Nicholas Oakes stable and will start from the outside post five in search of her first win with Norris Rogers driving. The Cattlewash-Bid Writer filly is owned by J D Racing of Cornwall, P.E.I. and Dunsan Farms of Warren Grove, P.E.I.
The Backstretch Beat gives the edge to the chalk: “Fitness First fired off the wings and never looked back, going coast to coast and closing it out in a snappy :28.2. We’re thinking the tactics will be the same tonight so don’t be surprised if she scores a natural hat trick.”
Race three is the District 15 & District 17 Liberal Associations Pace with Dusty Lane Zoro (Don MacNeill) the favourite from post four. The Bob Connelly Memorial R.E.’s Stable Pace is in race five headlined by Doc Darryl (Colin Sheppard) from post four. Race six is the Kent MacDonald MP Cardigan Pace while the Mick & Barb Dunn Memorial is in race seven. Race eight is sponsored by Collings Timbermart & Ryan’s Driving School. Race nine is the Trevor Tracey – Trevor Tracey Family Funeral Home Pace.
To view Friday's harness racing entries, click the following link: Friday Entries - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(With files from Red Shores)