The last time Screen Test saw the starting gate he made quick work of his foes and will try to mark up more of the same in Thursday’s (Dec. 31) preferred quiz on a special New Year’s Eve presentation at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
The 14-dash card has a 6:30 p.m. (AST) opening post time at the capital oval with the $2,900 Preferred Pace lining up in Race 13 of the night. Screen Test has the outside starting spot in the competitive field of six with Corey MacPherson at the lines of the Ron Gass trainee for owners William Andrew of Calgary and Kickin Horse Stable of York. A finalist in both the Governor’s Plate and Gold Cup and Saucer, Screen Test was a going away winner his last start but will have to contend with the return of a pair of talented pacers from the Ontario circuit.
Burn Out Hanover (To be driven by Gilles Barrieau) has post 4 with Jeff Holmes of Orwell resuming the training duties of the 20-time victor. Holmes also conditions fresh Ontario returnee Hunger Pangs (David Dowling) from post 5. Both pacers won their last outings on the Ontario circuit. Smart Official (Jason Hughes) has proven himself stubborn off the front end and with rail control will be looking for that spot again Thursday. Winter Blast (Ken Murphy) has post 2 while Sports Royalty (Kenny Arsenault) leaves from post 3 on New Year’s Eve.
The Fillies and Mares Open Pace hits the track in Race 9 of the night with Larjon Legacy making her East Coast debut for the new ownership group of Arnold Myers, Sterling Maclure and Luke Beck of Charlottetown. Bo Ford handles the training duties of the post 2 starter in the $2,850 event with Brodie MacPhee returning to action to handle the 19-time winner. Other top entries are Atlantic Champion Woodmere Skyroller (Dowling) from post 1 and Atlantic Triple Crown winner Filly Forty Seven (Hughes) from post 4.
Agood Time To Rock has an ideal starting post to keep his recent perfection intact in Race 6 of the evening from the red hot Joe MacDonald stable. The 10-year-old Rocknroll Hanover pacer has won his last three outings in the claiming ranks and has post 1 with Murphy aboard on Thursday. The four-horse MacDonald stable has been rock solid the past two months, boasting a .486 training average from 27 starts since the beginning of November.
Top Of Her Trade is the morning-line favourite in the Julep Hanover Retirement pace in Race 7. Brodie MacPhee will handle the three-year-old filly for the Crazy 8 Stable of Charlottetown, PE and trainer Taylor Doyle. Julep Hanover will make her final career start in Race 12 for owner, trainer and driver Wade Myers. The mare goes into her last performance with 296 starts, 43 victories, 42 seconds, 40 thirds and $85,826 in earnings.
On track customers will be treated to a tag your ticket promotion called the Wild Horses. Players can tag their tickets for a chance to win $50 jackpots on every race along with a special on-track Pick 5 for a chance to win $500. The Horse Player Interactive (HPI) PEI players promotion also continues on New Year’s Eve. Island players qualify to win a $500 PEI Gift card and cash back until the end of the winter meet. Complete details when you play through HPIBET.COM.
The Race Day broadcast team will feature favorite moments of 2020 along with some special trackside presentations. For race programs and live broadcast go to redshores.ca.
(Red Shores)
To view Thursday's harness racing entries, click on the following link: Thursday Entries - Charlottetown Driving Park.