The top pacing stars in Atlantic Canadian harness racing are set to converge on Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park for a Saturday mega-double-header featuring P.E.I. Colts Stakes action.
The 26-dash day gets underway at 1 p.m., with a 12-race afternoon program featuring the two-year-old pacing colts and fillies.
The pacing colts face off in $5,400 divisions in Races 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10. Race 4 will prove if leading percentage driver Gilles Barrieau made the right call as he was listed on the four morning line favourites in the field of six at draw time. Barrieau elected to drive Twomacsoneshadow for trainer Earl Watts and owners Howmac Farms of North Wiltshire and Wayne MacRae of Nova Scotia.
Top pacing colt Tobinator leads Race 8 with Corey MacPherson in the bike for trainer Trevor Hicken and owners Kent Livingston of Cornwall, Robin Burke of Ten Mile House, Luke Burke of Pleasant Grove and Perry Burke of Quebec.
The Hawk is the morning line choice in Race 2 for Danny Romo, while Race 6 has Darren Crowe trainee Mighty Cowboy favoured and Jigtime Jones headlines Race 10 for driver Rinaldo MacDonald.
The two-year-old pacing fillies compete in $6,500 divisions in Races 5, 7, 9 and 11. Elektra Express looks to remain undefeated in Race 7 for trainer/driver Marc Campbell and owner Danica Ellis of Nova Scotia, as the filly sports a perfect five-for-five record. Shesaroyal Cowgirl is favoured in Race 5 fresh off a 1:59.2 best for trainer/driver Mark Bradley. Magical Cowgirl is the morning line choice in Race 9 with Corey MacPherson in the bike while Filly Forty Seven and Campbell lead the way in Race 11.
P.E.I. Colts Stakes action continues on the evening card with 14 dashes getting underway at 7 p.m.
The three-year-old pacing colts battle in $5,900 divisions in Races 3, 5, 8 and 11. A pair of top Brandons Cowboy colts will face off in Race 5 with Offshore Cowboy leaving from post two with Jason Hughes in the bike for trainer Donald Milligan and Lukes Cowboy drawing post three with trainer/driver Kenny Arsenault.
CDP track record holder Heart And Soul is the morning line choice in Race 8 for the Queen of Maritime Racing, trainer/driver Clare MacDonald, and owners Earith and George Riley of Kensington. Abner The Great is favoured in Race 3 with Marc Campbell in the bike for trainer Earl Watts, while IC A Life Force has rail control in Race 11 with Arsenault in the bike for trainer Jamie Smith and Island owners Graham Robinson, Harry Simmonds, Glenn Murray and Hal Bevan.
Three $6,900 three-year-old pacing filly divisions of the P.E.I. Colts Stakes will take place in Races 7, 10 and 12. Howmacscanasta has proved she can race anyone in the division, but has been plagued with breaking issues and draws post three in Race 7 for trainer/driver Gilles Barrieau. Dusylanemissmolly rides a two-race win streak into race 10 with Corey MacPherson in the bike. All About Madi appears the class of the field in Race 12 as she commands an impressive nine-race win streak with Gary Chappell filling in for regular driver Walter Cheverie for trainer Leith Waite, who co-owns with fellow Islanders Spencer and Les Waite.
The P.E.I. Colts Stakes is the second leg of the Island Breeder’s Series with horses vying for points for the Island Breeder’s Finals in late October.
The Saturday evening card also features a field of five top notch pacing mares in the lone division of the Atlantic Aged Mares Pacing Series for a $5,740 purse. The field includes Ramblinglily (Ken Murphy), Dustyland Msvickie (Campbell), Shadows Mystery (Barrieau), Sendmeasign (Arsenault) and Drivingthedragon N (Hughes).
A field of six Preferred pacers face off in Race 13 on the card for a $2,300 purse including Nogreatmischief (Chappell) and All Turain (MacPherson) fresh off a win in the Albert Goodine Memorial in New Brunswick.
To view Saturday's harness racing entries, click on the following link: Saturday Entries - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(With files from Red Shores)