When it comes to aged pacing mares on Canada's east coast, Sodwana Bay has been the boss the past few years. Sodwana Bay will be looking for another victory against a deep group Thursday evening (August 6) at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
The CDP's 12-dash Thursday card carries a 6 p.m. start time and will feature the $2,800 Fillies and Mares Open Pace in Race 11.
Sodwana Bay has drawn Post 4 in the featured field of six talented mares, and trainer Gilles Barrieau will be back in the race bike for owners Wayne MacRae of Nova Scotia and Howmac Farms Ltd of North Wiltshire. The seven-year-old No Pan Intended mare was a 13-time winner from 25 seasonal starts in 2019, and has recorded a pair of victories from six starts this calendar year.
Berazzled is set to guard the rail in the feature with pilot David Dowling, who has picked up the catch drive for trainer Jonah Moase. In her last race, Berazzled cut out a :55.4 opening half before fading at the end of the mile. Woodmere Chella has been installed as the morning line favourite from Post 2, and pilot Dale Spence has been called on to drive for conditioner Marvyn Webster. The Articulator lass was a runner-up in her latest race, in which she paced her own mile in 1:54.3 in Charlottetown while being bested by Arc Light. Adam Merner will drive the Marc Campbell stable's Arc Light from Post 3, while stablemate Dreamfair Zenfire will start from the outside Post 6 with Campbell at the lines. Post 5 belongs to Lyons Jennielee and driver Myles Heffernan Sr., who dead-heated for second in the top class at Nova Scotia's Inverness Raceway in her last start.
Race analyst Les MacIsaac has taken a hunch that Sodwana Bay will land back on top in Thursday’s pacing feature.
“As great as she is, the first-over trip last week was simply too much to overcome,” MacIsaac said of Sodwana Bay. “She's had enough starts since coming off the bench that she should be just about where she wants to be from a conditioning standpoint and a smoother journey could put her back in the winner's circle.”
Race 8 will see the return of Atlantic Triple Crown winner Filly Forty Seven to the Campbell stable. The six-year-old daughter of Proven Lover will have rail control as she makes the move back east after having competed in Ontario all season.
For race programs and more, head to Redshores.ca and wager online at HPIBet.com.
To view the harness racing entries for Thursday at the CDP, click the following link: Thursday Entries - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(Red Shores)