CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – A pair of high priced claimers will go toe-to-toe in the Saturday afternoon feature at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
The 13-dash card gets underway at 12:30 PM with the featured pacers lining up in race 12 for a $2,100 purse. Motorino gets the nod of classifier Gerard Smith as the 5-2 early morning favourite for trainer-driver Terry Gallant and owner Eric Johnston of Summerside.
The four-year-old son of Brian P races finished fourth in his latest outing, against the top pacers on the grounds, and will carry an $11,250 price tag on his head for Saturday’s contest. His Saturday rivals include newcomer Bazillion, who carries a $12,000 tag from post 3 and will get the services of Brian MacPhee in the bike for trainer Trevor Hicken and owner Kent Livingston of Cornwall.
Race analyst Les MacIsaac is going another way, selecting Nogreatmischief to land in the winner’s circle from the outside post 6 for driver Walter Cheverie.
“He’s fairly tardy off the gate but in a compact field like this it’s not a big deal,” MacIsaac said. “Some live flow and a cover trip to bring him into it late increases his chances big time.”
Other entries include First Art Down (Ken Murphy), Spirit Of America (Jason Hughes) and Perfect Escape (Marc Campbell).
A field of six top-notch pacing mares will contest the race 7 Open Mares class with an undefeated four-year-old putting a wrench into what we can expect. Ramblinglily was dominant in the class most of the season but is not entered to race this week after Best Risque (Campbell) has won the last three Open Mares events.
Best Risque has been handicapped to post 6 in the field of half-a-dozen and faces Sam, who has been undefeated on the East Coast since relocating six starts ago. Sam, a four-year-old daughter of Dragon Again, will have Jason Hughes in the bike from post 5 for owner Foxyhall Racing of Wallace, N.S. Also in the field is Brodys Leona (Corey MacPherson), Stayoutofmyaffair (Mark Bradley), General Luckypercy (Ron Matheson) and Sendmeasign (Kenny Arsenault).
Top aged pacers do battle on Sunday
The bearcats are set to go at it again Sunday afternoon at Red Shores Charlottetown with the 13-dash program starting up at 12:30 PM.
Race 12 has the preferred pacers lining up for a $2,4000 pot with a field including All Turain, who is fresh off a blistering 1:56.3 victory over a track rated three seconds off. He will retain the services of Corey MacPherson at the lines from post 5 for trainer Trevor Hicken and owner Lee Hicken of Charlottetown. Forever Paradise has been stamped as a major threat from post 2 with Campbell in the bike for trainer Kevin MacLean and owners Reg MacPherson and David MacKenzie of Stratford and Aaron MacKenzie of Winsloe.
Race analyst MacIsaac has All Turain pegged to win.
“He acquired Corey’s services last week and look at the result,” MacIsaac said. “We don’t see it being quite that easy today but off that performance he’s clearly the one to beat.”
Also in the field is Waterside Light (Kenny Arsenault), J Rs Hurricane (Ken Murphy), Prince Sharka (Travis Wilkie) and Clic K (Ron Matheson).
The Open trotters go to battle in race 4 for a $1,950 purse with Holy Molie Maggie sporting a three-race-win-streak from post 6. Gary Chappell will drive for owner-trainer Jeff Holmes of Orwell. Caliban Hanover (Walter Cheverie) and Osprey Impact (Paul Larrabee) are cited are her major threats.
by Nicholas Oakes, for Red Shores