Rail control could prove to be the path to the winner’s circle in the Saturday evening preferred pace at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
The 11-dash Saturday program kicks off at 6 P.M. at the capital oval. In the featured race of the evening, the $2,350 Preferred 2 Pace in race 10, Red Magician leaves from post 1 for driver Adam Merner. Melissa Rennie trains the son of Badlands Hanover for owners Dale and Ronnie Rennie of Elmsdale.
Red Magician is fresh off a third-place finish in this class while pacing in 1:55.3 and both the pacers that defeated him that day are not in this Saturday class. Zero Rate is also in the group while dropping out of the Governor’s Plate series in Summerside, and gets Ken Murphy in the bike for trainer Michael Gallant. Rockin Indy is a newcomer to East Coast racing and gets post five in his debut for driver Walter Cheverie and new owner-trainer Troy Murray of Clyde River.
“Red Magician is racing as well as he ever has just four starts into the season and should be just about where he wants to be from a conditioning standpoint,” said Red Shores analyst Les MacIsaac. “Rail control will provide him with the opportunity to cut it or sit and stalk and either of those scenarios could see him get it all.”
Other preferred pace entries are Perfect Escape (Ron Matheson), Give Em Heck (Drew Neill) and Oh To Be Me (Gary Chappell).
Race seven is in memory of Gary “Prunes” Campbell with a $2,100 purse. Morining line choice Big Surf rides a two-race win streak into the event. David Dowling picks up the catch-driving call behind Big Surf as the Warren Grove driver is seven wins shy of the 1,000 win plateau. He will look to add to those totals with Big Surf from post three for trainer Trevor Hicken and owner Perry Burke of Grosse-Ile., Que. Other top entries include Heart And Soul (Cheverie) and Likely To Win (Merner).
The Saturday program will be part of National Caretakers Appreciation Day with grooms for each horse announced during the post parade and entered for prize draws along with special certificates of recognition.
To view entries for the Saturday card, click the following link: Saturday Entries - Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
(with files from Red Shores)