The finest aged pacers on the Eastern Seaboard of Canada will converge on Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park Saturday night in what is sure to be a preview of the upcoming Governor’s Plate Invitational.
The 11-dash Saturday card kicks off at 6:00 p.m., with the featured $3,200 Preferred Pace slated as the 10th race. Lisburn has been installed as the morning line favourite after finishing second to Screen Test last week in his seasonal debut. Kenny Arsenault trains and drives Lisburn for Nova Scotia owners Kevin Harvey of Hammonds Plains and Rudge Racing of Dartmouth. The Gold Cup & Saucer finalist will leave from Post 2 in Saturday’s bout.
Avatar J will get the catch-driving services of Mark Bradley from Post 3 for trainer Danny MacDonald after beating this class two weeks back. Last week’s winner, Screen Test, will have to overcome Post 6 in the power-packed field for driver Corey MacPherson and trainer Ron Gass. Also competing in the field is last year’s Governor’s Plate champion, Rose Run Quest, from Post 4 for trainer-driver Marc Campbell.
Race analyst Les MacIsaac sees this race going any number of ways but will back Post 2 starter Lisburn for the win. “This one's wide open so the tote board might be your best friend,” MacIsaac said. “There's a possibility of some quick early fractions and with Lisburn’s dangerous late kick that would be right up his alley. Beware.”
Completing the field are Simple Kinda Man (Jason Hughes), Bugsy Maguire (Brodie MacPhee), Time To Dance (Adam Merner) and Soccer Hanover (David Dowling).
The Campbell-trained and driven Jetster is top choice in $2,700 Preferred 2 Pace, carded as Race 7. The Post 3 starter in the compact field of five was a winner two starts back at this level. Other top entries are Winter Blast (Hughes) and Silverhill Buddy (Dowling).
Cowboy Logic makes his Island debut in the ninth race for new trainer-driver Harold Shepherd of Stratford, who co-owns the pacer with Charlottetown residents Maurice McCabe, Gerard Ellsworth and Angus Birt. The three-year-old son of Western Ideal was racing in Ontario for trainer Isabelle Darveau.
For race programs, live video and more go to Redshores.ca and bet online at HPIBet.com. To view the entries for Saturday's card, click the following link: Saturday Entries - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(with files from Red Shores)