The Mildred Williams International Driving Series will be featured Wednesday, August 27 at Summerside Raceway. First race post time for the card is 7:00 p.m.
The event features female harness drivers competing at tracks throughout North America raising money for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. The series made its Island debut last year at the Summerside Raceway where the local community raised thousands of dollars during the popular event.
Summerside organizer Lynn Whitlock and her fundraising team have been busy preparing for the series selling Harness the Hope bracelets, attracting sponsors and designing a meet and greet session, scheduled to run from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
The official race programs will be printed in pink to honour the night, and the Summerside Sales and Promotions committee will donate 50/50 proceeds to the fundraiser.
Colleen Chappell and Ambyr MacPhee will represent PEI with Tammy MacKay competing on behalf of Nova Scotia. The other participants on the card will be Carole Dumont (Trois Rivieres QC), Stacy Chiodo (Jackson, New Jersey), Cheri Lee Waugheller (Vernon, New York) and Ann Curran (Smith Falls, ON), who was honoured with an O'Brien Award for her role as event organizer last year.
Canada's all-team leading female driver Clare MacDonald was scheduled to drive in the series but suffered a severe concussion in a spill Saturday night at Exhibition Park Raceway in Saint John, NB.
The ladies will make their first appearance in the Juanita Riley Memorial, carded as Race 3. Woodmere Westroute is listed at 2-1 on the morning line for Colleen Chappell and owner-trainer Wayne Pike.
The second division, presented by Sunnybrook Farm Feed Store, has Far Away Places as the early favourite. The Jate Lobell gelding is to be driven by Stacy Chiodo.
The evening's top class will go in Race 11, which features Allamercian Wow, KG Affair, Just Chill Lyn, Island Hurricane, Trymydream, Royal Val, Nag and Todds on Nike.
Click here to view the entries for Summerside's Wednesday card.
Harness Racing PEI would also like to take the opportunity to thank the event sponsors, which are listed below.
• Gordon's Enterprises (Bob Gordon)
• Sherry's Heating Service
• Kensington Horsemans Club
• PEI Harness Racing Industry Association
• Fred and Wilbur Lamont
• Gentlemen Jim's Restaurant
• Hollylaine Island Farms
• Experienced Builders
• Winburn Harris
• Frank Goodwin
(With files from Harness Racing PEI)