CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – Forever Paradise formerly had a reputation as King of the Thursday night top class and the Kevin MacLean trainee is looking for his throne back this Thursday at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
First race post time is 7 pm for the 12-dash card.
Gilles Barrieau will control the lines of the post 4 starter Forever Paradise in the race 11 $2,200 feature for owners Reg MacPherson and David MacKenzie of Stratford and Aaron MacKenzie of Winsloe. The leading percentage driver in North America with over 100 starts, Barrieau has a good chance to keep his masterful average afloat with Forever Paradise, who has quite a record of his own with six wins, three seconds and a third from 12 seasonal starts. A Fresh challenger has the rail in the Thursday feature in the form of Kendal Gucci. The six-year-old Life Sign mare has Doug Folkins Jr. in the bike for owner-trainer Jonah Moase of Warren Grove. Moase has been racing his stable in Ontario since the winter meet concluded in Charlottetown in February. Other entries include The Big Bite (Mike Stevenson), Tempo Seelster (Vincent Poulton), Jrs Hurricane (Corey MacPherson), Likely To Win (Marc Campbell) and Cambest Kisser (Jason Hughes).
The back-up pace lines up in race 12 with a pair of tough claimers going to battle once again this week. Sinners In Heaven (Gary Chappell) has the rail fresh off a 1:56.2 victory while Lyndale Royal (Campbell) will leave from post 3 after scoring wins in his last two starts. Both Island bred pacers compete for a price tag of $7,200 in the eight-horse field.
A group of eight pacing mares will look to hook bridles in the race 9 Fillies and Mares Not Listed Open for a purse of $1,850. Rose Valley is favoured off the rail for driver Kenny Arsenault, trainer Mike Campbell and owners Dawn and Theodore Bremnew of Jemseg, N.B. The five-year-old mare will compete against the likes of Onehotvett (Wade Sorrie) from post 2 and track record holder Whitesand Artist (Neil Bambrick) from post 6.
The Island trot ranks will meet in races 3 and 5 as Kims Pjs is the favourite in race 3 for a $1,350 purse for trainer-driver Lenny Myers. Race 5 has Caliban Hanover dropping out of Open competition to be installed as the morning line choice from post 4 in the $1,550 affair for trainer-driver Ron Gass.
By Nicholas Oakes for Red Shores