The top two-year-old pacers in Atlantic Canada will converge on Red Shores at the Summerside Raceway on Sunday afternoon, Aug. 9 for a stakes-packed program featuring Atlantic Sires Stakes action.
The Prince County oval has a 16-dash presentation starting at 12:30 p.m. (ADT), with four Atlantic Sires Stakes "A" divisions for two-year-old pacers highlighting the program along with a full slate of "B" divisions and Atlantic Sires Stakes trotting events.
The two-year-old pacing colts clash for $15,000 in races nine and 11 in "A" division action.
Race 11 features another showdown between Woodmere Rock It and Woodmere Dougal. Woodmere Rock It, the 5-2 morning line choice, has post two with Adam Merner driving for trainer Jamie Smith and owners Thestable Woodmererock It of Guelph, Ont. The Tobago Cays-Musette Mindale colt has been perfect four lifetime starts including his latest Atlantic Sires Stakes "A" division at Inverness Raceway in 1:56.2.
Woodmere Dougal will leave from post three with trainer/driver Corey MacPherson after the Bet The Moon-Princess Rusty colt set a Summerside track record of 1:55.1 in his P.E.I. Colt Stakes Gold victory on July 16 then had his perfect streak snapped by Woodmere Rock It on July 26 in Inverness, N.S.
Much More Malice (Gilles Barrieau) is another major player from post seven for trainer Kevin MacLean.
The first $15,000 colt "A" division lines up in race nine with Camco Kolton as the 5-2 early favourite from the outside post six with trainer MacPherson driving. The Shanghai Phil-Camco Terra colt won at first asking in a P.E.I. Colt Stakes Grassroots event and followed up with a third-place finish in his Atlantic Sires Stakes debut. He is owned by Rosetown Stable of Stratford, P.E.I., Stephen Alden O'Brien and Shawn Murphy of Charlottetown, P.E.I., and Darcy Murphy of Rothesay, N.B.
Other top contenders include Southdale Jeff leaving from post four for driver/trainer Adam Merner, and Kingstown, who has post five for driver Jason Hughes and trainer Jamie Smith.
Atlantic Sires Stakes "B" divisions for two-year-old pacing colts are carded in races one, three, seven, 12 and 14 for $6,000 purses.
Two-year-old pacing fillies compete for $20,140 in each of their "A" divisions in races 13 and 15.
Woodmere Twigs is the 5-2 morning line favourite from post four in race 13 with Merner handling the lines of his trainee for owner Runningonempty of Stanhope, P.E.I. The Blood Money-Very Ideal Hanover filly has two wins from three starts including a 1:58.4 Atlantic Sires Stakes triumph at Truro Raceway.
Among her contenders, Country Rhythm, to be driven by Myles Heffernan Sr., has post six for trainer Myles Heffernan Jr., while the Earl Watts trainee Sheeowtime Speed and Langille will leave from post seven.
Race 15 has YS Fancy Speed installed at 5-2 from post three with Merner driving for trainer Watts and P.E.I. owners Windemere Farms of Springvale and Jack Quinn of Charlottetown. The Somewhere Fancy-Ys Downonthebeach filly was a runner-up to Woodmere Twigs in her first Sires Stakes test and is coming off a maiden-breaking victory over Summerside.
Watts has another contender in Starship Daisy, who will leave from post four with Marc Campbell aboard, while Lady Of Malice is will be in the mix from post five for driver Langille and trainer Kyle Williams.
The two-year-old pacing fillies have "B" divisions in races five and 16 competing for $6,000 purses.
The Atlantic Sires Stakes trotters also have a major presence on the Sunday program starting in race two with the three-year-old fillies competing for a $12,080 purse. Fresh off a maiden-breaking Sires Stakes victory at Truro Raceway last time out on July 24, Emberlees Rocket is the 5-2 morning line favourite from post three with Marc Campbell driving for trainer John Clarey. The E L Rocket-Malahide miss is owned by Michael Clarey of Montague, P.E.I.
The $12,500 Atlantic Sires Stakes division for two-year-old trotting fillies lines up in race four with Saulsbrook Disco favoured at 5-2 from post four for driver Marc Campbell, trainer Landon Campbell and owner What R The Oddz Stable of Orwell, P.E.I. The Muscle Through It-Cleveland Twilight filly has won all three of her lifetime starts and was victorious in 2:03.2 in the Brian Andrew Memorial at Charlottetown in her latest outing.
The two-year-old trotting colts have a pair of $10,000 Atlantic Sires Stakes divisions in races six and eight. Stunning Speed gets top billing in race six from post three with Mike McGuigan handling the lines of his trainee. The Muscle Through It-Stunning Look colt is undefeated in three lifetime starts, including a 2:00 flat win in Atlantic Sires Stakes action at Truro. He is owned by Little Pond Stables of Little Pond, P.E.I. and Charlottetown's The Coles Stable.
Race eight has Hopthroughit as the 5-2 morning line choice from post six with Clare MacDonald in the seat for her own stable. Hopthroughit was second in the Brian Andrew Memorial in his latest start and has two seconds and a third from three lifetime outings. Another offspring of Muscle Through It, the colt out of Hop Up is owned by James Campbell of Brookdale, N.S.
The three-year-old trotting colts meet for $12,680 in race 10 with Little Louis the 5-2 morning line favourite from post two for driver MacPherson and trainer Kuri White. Little Louis has been dominant this season with three (consecutive) wins from four starts, including victories in his Atlantic Sires Stakes and P.E.I. Colt Stakes assignments. The E L Rocket-Go With Her gelding is a homebred for East Coast Captains of Cornwall, P.E.I.
To view Sunday's harness racing entries, click the following link: Sunday Entries - Summerside Raceway.
(With files from Red Shores)