After a late-charging break in stride last week, Traces Of Purple will look to knock off the best mares in the region on a special Saturday morning program at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
Due to impending weather coming to the region, the Saturday card will have a special 11:30 A.M. first race post time and the top mares will face off in the seventh race of the program in the $2,700 Fillies and Mares Open Pace.
Traces Of Purple will leave from post one in the contest with Walter Cheverie back in the bike for owner-trainer Robert Phillips of Belfast. The five-year-old daughter of Brandons Cowboy was making a late surge in the stretch drive last Saturday and rolled off stride before the finish to end up third. The winner from that race, Sodwana Bay, is not entered this week but runner-up Jordies Hope leaves from post five with David Dowling in the bike. The Brian Lander-trained Jordies Hope has five seasonal scores including a 1:54.4 best over Red Shores Summerside.
A model of consistency, West River Ambyr has post two in the field of six with regular driver Steven Shepherd at the lines. The mare has only missed one cheque in 16 outings this year.
Race analyst Les MacIsaac will side with the rail sitter Traces Of Purple for the top spot.
“Traces Of Purple has been a model of consistency all year sporting a top three record north of 80 per cent and that's against the best mares in the region,” MacIsaac said. “Landing on the pylons will make her hard to deny.”
Also in the field is Drivingthedragon N (Jason Hughes), Innocent Kiss (Adam Merner) and Collective Wisdom (Dale Spence).
The top purse of the night is the $2,850 Preferred 2 Pace in the eleventh race. IC True Grit is the morning line choice with Mike McGuigan driving for trainer Jackie Matheson and owners Joey Gallant and Ingham Jenkins of Charlottetown. Other top entries include Red Magician (Merner) and JJ Powerball (Gordie Hennessey).
For race programs, live video and more go to Redshores.ca. To view the entries for Saturday's card, click the following link: Saturday Entries - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(with files from Red Shores)