Astronomical Union will look to repeat in the Thursday evening top class at Red Shores' Charlottetown Driving Park.
The Astronomical four-year-old was an impressive 1:55.3 winner last week, but is saddled with the outside Post 6 in the seven-horse tilt (Race 11). Marc Campbell will drive Astronomical Union for trainer Kevin MacLean and owner Reg MacPherson of Stratford.
Blue Star Outlaw gets the nod as the classifier’s second choice in the top pace with Jason Hughes in the bike from Post 5, while First Art Down gets Post 3 for driver Walter Cheverie. Other entries in the $1,750 affair are CL Eighty (to be driven by Kenny Arsenault), Roscoes Child (Brodie MacPhee), Pembroke Fella (Brian MacPhee), and Van Zant (Ron Matheson).
First-race post time for the 12-dash card is 7:00 p.m.
Campbell will be looking to notch his 1,000th career driving win during the card. He scored No. 999 Monday afternoon at Red Shores' Summerside Raceway while aboard Taliesin. The 28-year-old Vernon River native will be the youngest Islander to accomplish the feat racing primarily on P.E.I. He has nine drives on the program.
The $1,300 trot class will see Majian Chester looking for a repeat from Post 2. James Ripley trains and drives for owner Marylea Ripley of Amherst, NS. Diamond Mine (Willie Murphy) is second pick, while Honeymoonisover (Brian Andrew) is selected for third.
The $1,350 back-up pace has been carded as Race 12 and Micrometerjack has been favoured from Post 4 for driver Corey MacPherson, trainer Nick Macgillivray and owner Brian Foley of Charlottetown. Other top entries are West River Wonder (Steven Shepherd) and Bowyer Hanover (Cheverie).
Live racing continues Saturday evening at 6:00 p.m. at the CDP, while Lobster Carnival Week racing kicks off with a card Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. at Summerside.
To view the harness racing entries for Thursday at the CDP, click the following link: Thursday Entries - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(With files from Red Shores)