Can New Brunswick harness racing history be made two straight weeks? That question will be answered Saturday as Horse Racing New Brunswick presents a double-header at Fredericton Raceway featuring the latest Maritime sensation, Big League and driver Dale Spence.
Action will kick off at high noon with another card to follow at 4:00 p.m. Major attractions of the day are the Bill Quigg stakes, Atlantic Mares Pacing Series, Goodine Memorial and culminating in the prestigious Jennie & Joe Chippin Memorial invitational.
This past Friday, Neal Moase's Big League and twenty-year-old teamster Spence shocked the Maritime racing fraternity with a jaw-dropping 1:53.4 new track record at E.P.R. The mile was covered extensively by local media, including features on both CBC TV and Radio in New Brunswick.
He shaved four-fifths of a second off the old EPR mark, and now eyes history on Saturday afternoon as one of five entrants looking to win this year's edition of the Jennie & Joe Chippin Memorial Pace.
Big League took his first lifetime steps as a yearling in nearby Norton, N.B. In 2011, under the watchful eye of Sean Dooley, he went undefeated as a two-year-old and was sold after a brief stop in Ontario.
David MacDonald, a Halifax businessman, then brought back Big League to the Maritimes where he was in turn sold to Neal Moase. It has turned into one of the best buys for Moase along with his son Jonah who handles the training chores.
Saturday, Big League will bust the gate from post-five and you can be sure young Spence will be looking to get an early seat on top. He will have his work cut out for him with four other rivals. All Turain, who was second in last week's historic race, will have the rail for Brodie MacPhee.
Terry Gallant and Proven Lover also ships in from P.E.I and gets Post 2. He is known for his early speed and should make things interesting. Lucky Encounter gets posts three for Alex Sobey and sports a win this year in 1:54.4 over P.E.I.
Rounding out the field is Greatheart Hanover, a five-year-old pacer who is winless this year in the Maritimes but sports some good credentials on his race lines. Jason Hughes will get the drive on the pacer from the number four spot.
Horse Racing New Brunswick thanks all horsemen and fans for their support of FREX 2013 and Saturday afternoon could be another day for the record books.
To view entries for Saturday's cards, click one of the following links:
Fredericton Raceway - Saturday Entries (12:00 pm post)
Fredericton Raceway - Saturday Entries (4:00 p.m. post)
(with files from HRNB)