Old Home Week is officially in full swing and Saturday afternoon marks the first double header of Old Home Week 2014.
The 12-dash card will feature the first showing of the Atlantic Sire Stakes, with three 'A' and three 'B' stakes for three-year-old fillies scheduled. First-race post time for the afternoon card will be 1 p.m.
The ATSS 'A' action will get underway in Race 7 and the two top fillies in the Maritimes are set to do battle. Elm Grove Inarush has drawn Post 2. The three-year-old Coasttocoast Yankee-Seawind Alpha filly comes into the $9,500 'A' division with three straight victories, including a track record performance in her last start at Inverness Raceway in which she stopped the clock in 1:55.3. The Seawind Amg-bred filly is owned by Blaine Thibeau, Gordon Macleod, Grant Mann and trainer Eddy Doucette. Regular driver Mark Bradley will be in the bike and the filly is closing in on $80,000 in career earnings.
Maritime Breeders champion Lovineveryminute has drawn the outside Post 6. The daughter of Western Paradise-Deliver Me was bred and is co-owned by River Valley Management along with Lana Murphy and Windemere Farms. She is trained by Earl Watts and Todd Trites will handle the driving duties on Saturday. Lovineveryminute, who has won five races this year, finished second to Elm Grove Inarush in her last race and was individually clocked in 1:56.2. Woodmere Trulyblue, Sail Through, Libertys Gig and Gracious Minnie will round out the field.
Saulsbrook Alana, last season's two-year-old champion, appears to be rounding back into form as a three-year-old. She found her way back to the winner’s circle at Inverness last week when she was victorious by seven lengths in 1:56.4 for owner Reg MacPherson of Stratford. The Kevin Maclean trainee has banked just under $75,000 in lifetime purse earnings. Marc Campbell will pilot 'Alana' from Post 4 in Race 9.
Last week’s second-place finisher, Fleurje, has drawn Post 3 for Buntainwood Farms and trainer Nick Oakes. The Ameripan Gigolo filly will reunite with regular driver Jason Hughes. Dusty Lane Dora, Outrageous Spirit, Sea Anna Win and Absolootly Hot will complete the field.
Race 11 is the final division of the Atlantic Sire Stakes 'A' divisions, Post 3 starter Pictonian Sareta will try and get the sire stakes monkey off of her back. The Western Paradise-Southview Selena filly has four top-three finishes from four ATSS starts and will look to get into the sire stakes winner’s circle this time around for owner Dan Ross and trainer-driver Mike Stevenson.
Waterhook will make her 'A' division start after winning a 'B' stakes event during Lobsterfest Week. The daughter of Articulator has drawn Post 1 and has been installed as the morning line choice for owner Bruce Wood. The trainer-driver combination of Jackie Matheson and Gilles Barrieau handle the controls. Charlottes Style, Newsmaker, Bettim Jenny and Briannas Angel are the other starters.
Atlantic Sire Stakes 'B' action has been carded as Race 5, Race 8 and Race 10. Tarahumara has been listed as the favourite in Race 5. Race 8 favourite Babies Gigolo has drawn Post 2, and the tenth race favourite is J J Mistress.
The Race 12 feature will highlight a field of eight starters and will also include Hurrah 4 Island Charities. Hurrah has drawn Post 7 for trainer-driver Mark Bradley. All of Hurrah's earning for the month of August will be donated to the P.E.I. Special Olympics as part of the Hurrah 4 Island Charities.
Two aged trots have been carded as Race 1 and Race 3. Glencove Umay has drawn Post 6 in the first race for owner-trainer Carl Bagnall. Newcomer Rate Exchange will make his Island debut in Race 3, the winner of over $400,000 in lifetime purses is trained by Jonah Moase and Campbell will do the driving.
To view the harness racing entries for Saturday afternoon at the CDP, click the following link: Saturday Entries – Charlottetown Driving Park (Afternoon).
Gold Cup And Saucer Trial 1 Ready To Roll
The much anticipated 55th running of the Gold Cup and Saucer will become a little clearer after Saturday night's race card at Red Shores’ Charlottetown Driving Park.
The 12-dash card will get started at 7 p.m.
The Sobey's Gold Cup and Saucer Trial 1 has been carded as the evening’s finale race (Race 12). Five of the six starters in Trial 1 have lifetime records better than 1:50.
The connections of the 54th Sobey's Gold Cup and Saucer winner are back to defend their title Saturday night. Trainer Ron Burke and driver Marc Campbell will install their hopes in Post 5 starter Aracache Hanover. Aracache Hanover has been listed as the morning line choice. He is coming into the race showing blistering gate speed that is sure to be a factor in the compact field of six. The seven-year-old son of Dragon Again is owned by William Switala and James Martin. He is the richest starter of this year's Gold Cup entrants with over $1.7 million in career earnings.
Bigtown Hero, who is a first-time starter for trainer Rene Allard, has drawn Post 3. He is now owned by Allard Racing and Yves Sarrazin of Quebec. The son of American Ideal took his lifetime mark of 1:48.3 in his last start for trainer Trevor Stafford. Gilles Barrieau will handle the driving duties. Allard has two entries in Trial 1 with his other entry Island Jet, right next door in Post 4. Island native Robert Shepherd will be home to do the driving.
Trainer Chris Oakes will make his training debut on red soil from Post 2 when he sends out Shock It To Em for owners Hauser Bros Racing, Susan Oakes, Timothy Cable and Charles Oakes. Islander Walter Cheverie has been given the opportunity to drive. Shock It To Em finished fourth in his last start at Yonkers Raceway where he paced his own mile in 1:52.2.
The all-important rail position on a half-mile track goes to the only Maritime starter in this year's field, Astor. He is owned by one of Red Shores’ leading owners, Foxyhall Racing, and is trained and driven by Red Shores' Charlottetown's top driver and trainer, Jason Hughes.
The outside Post 6 has gone to the only starter from last year's Gold Cup and Saucer, Up The Credit. The winner of over $1.3 million in career earnings will look to overcome the outside post for owners Thomas Kyron, Joanne Morrison and trainer Carl Jamieson. Jamieson is a former Gold Cup and Saucer winner, but will hand the lines over to Truro native Ryan Ellis.
The second leg of the Spud Island Classic Series for Open mares, sponsored by the PEI Potato Board, starts in Race 6. A total of three divisions will line up behind the Metro Building Supplies starting gate.
For All We Know will look to get back to her winning ways from Post 4. She saw her three-race win streak come to an end last week in the first leg when she finished second to Russian Kisses. The daughter of Rocknroll Hanover is owned by Bruce Wood. The Lobsterfest champion has paced her last three miles in 1:56 and change for the trainer-driver combo of Jackie Matheson and Barrieau.
Last year’s princess of the Maritimes, Ramblinglily, will try her luck with the aged mares again. The four-year-old daughter of Articulator was absent from the first leg, but she has picked up back-to-back victories for co-owners Allan Jones and Normand Leger. She'll reunite with her regular pilot, Brodie MacPhee. The duo enjoyed a near $60,000-year in earnings last season. 'Lily' has drawn Post 3. Last year’s Spud Island Classic Champion, Dirt Track Momma, has drawn the rail for Campbell and Moase. Ultimate Faith has drawn Post 5 after her victory last week. Ryan Ellis will drive and the mare will be looking to pick up her fifth victory in six starts. Keystone Nobility and Bunny Mach round out the field.
Last week’s show-stealer and newcomer Russian Kisses will line up in the second division (Race 8). She will be making her second start on red soil. The daughter of Badlands Hanover will look to make it two in a row after having triumphed in her opening-leg division in 1:55. She is owned by Robert Shepherd, Joe Travis and Forrest Richards. Shepherd has handed the training duties over to his father, Harold, for her stay on P.E.I. and brother Steven will do the driving again this week. Firstclassflight, Veronicavermillion, There Paid For, Silky Britches, Brodys Leona and Miracleonthehudson complete the field.
Stayoutofmyaffair has drawn the rail in the third and final division (Race 10). She was a going-away winner in her last start. Trainer-driver Jason Hughes will look for some of that same momentum again this week. Owned by Robi Hughes, the defending Atlantic Aged Mare champion has five victories this season. Scotian Lass, Icandothat, General Luckypercy, J K Special, Dreaming and Andro Madi round out the competition.
The Race 11 feature will be the Ocean 100 Pace. Eagle Jolt has been installed as the morning line favourite for owners Wilbur MacDonald and Marie MacDonald. The seven-year-old has two consecutive miles in 1:56 and change. Campbell, who is sponsored by Ocean 100 in the Drive For Charity, will do the steering, and the crew from Ocean 100 is sure to be pulling for the win. For each of Campbell's driving victories at Red Shores' properties, Ocean 100 will donate $25 to the Olivia Ruth MacLeod Memorial Award.
To view the harness racing entries for Saturday evening at the CDP, click the following link: Saturday Entries – Charlottetown Driving Park (Evening).
(Red Shores)