Claiming two track records in your last three starts is not a common occurrence but that is just the kind of season Half Cut has been having and he will look to continue that tempo in the Island Breeders finals Sunday afternoon at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
The Island Breeders Championship finals were scheduled for Saturday evening at the capital oval but due to issues with the track lights experiences during the Thursday evening card officials have decided to move the 14-dash program to Sunday afternoon with a 1:00 P.M., post time. This change bumped the scheduled Sunday afternoon program at Red Shores Summerside to Monday evening at 6:30 P.M.
The Sunday afternoon Red Shores Charlottetown program has Half Cut as the top choice while riding a four-race win streak into the final leg of his division's Atlantic Triple Crown, the $11,000 Doug Hill Memorial Island Breeders Championship final for two-year-old pacing colts in Race 9. All horses in the Island Breeders finals amassed enough points in the two preliminary legs to earn a spot in this weekend's championships.
Mark Bradley drives Half Cut fresh off a track record performance at Truro Raceway in Nova Scotia for trainer Tom Weatherbie, while he set a new two-year-old standard at Red Shores Charlottetown during the Atlantic Breeders Crown on Oct. 8.
The Wallace Wood Memorial Island Breeders final for two-year-old pacing fillies (Race 7) will be a hotly contested affair with Elm Grove Misty the morning line favourite in the $11,000 event for trainer-driver Dave Kelly.
Filly Forty Seven fell short in her bid to capture the Atlantic Triple Crown as a two-year-old with a fourth place finish in the 2016 Island Breeders Final. Now with victories in the Maritime Breeders Final and the Atlantic Breeders Crown again this season she will seek redemption in the $11,000 Norah Longworth Memorial Island Breeders final (Race 11) for three-year-old pacing fillies from post 2 for trainer-driver Marc Campbell.
The three-year-old pacing colt division has had its share of different winners all season and now Mick Dundee gets top billing in this final East Coast stakes outing. Don MacNeill trains and drives the colt from post 2 in the Dr. Blair Kelly Memorial Island Breeders final for three-year-old pacing colts (Race 13).
In trotting action, Pappy Go Go will attempt to put the finishing touches on his undefeated season in his final Atlantic stakes engagement. After winning 12 straight this season for trainer-driver Campbell, Pappy Go Go's final test is in the Jack Annear Memorial Island Breeders three-year old trot final for a $7,500 purse in Race 5.
Windemeredontuworry will attempt to finish his Atlantic Triple Crown bid in the $7,500 Shelley Gass Memorial Island Breeders final for two-year-old trotters (Race 3). The son of Armbro Barrister rides a three-race win streak into the event for driver Gilles Barrieau and trainer Terry Gallant.
The program also features a field of Open pacing mares in race 10 for a $2,250 pot while the $2,400 preferred pace lines up in the race 14 finale.
For entries, click the following link: Sunday Entries - Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
(with files from Red Shores)