CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – Fresh off a trip in 1:55 flat, Harbourlite Jerry will have the target on his back in Friday evening's Dr. Blair Kelly Memorial Pace at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park as part of Gold Cup and Saucer harness racing week.
The 10-dash card has a 7 P.M. opening post time with the $2,400 featured Dr. Blair Kelly Memorial Pace, presented by the Charlottetown Vet Clinic, lining up behind the starting gate in race 9.
Harbourlite Jerry was a third-place finisher in his most recent outing while piecing together a 1:55 trip in arrears of race winner and Gold Cup and Saucer trial entrant Best To Hurst. Steven Shepherd is back in the bike behind Harbourlite Jerry from post 5 for trainer Harold Shepherd and owner Ralph Jardine of Arthur, Ont.
Silver Beast looms a major threat from post 2 in the field of eight from the MacKenzie MacInnis barn of Tyne Valley with Dale Spence in the driver's seat. Paris Beau (To be driven by Gilles Barrieau) ships in from Exhibition Park Raceway in New Brunswick and gets rail control while Noplay (Corey MacPherson) will leave from post 3. Ken Murphy will reignite his profitable partnership with Tempo Seelster from post 4, with Burn Out Hanover (Brodie MacPhee) leaving from post 6, Persist Blue Chip (Jason Hughes) from post 7 and Eagle Jolt (Marc Campbell) hugging the outside fence.
Friday's Post Time Picks have Silver Beast as the one to knock off in the featured pace. "Look at those closing panels in his last two starts and he was charted in 1:56 and change last time out. He's getting his swagger back and that means trouble for his opposition."
The Time To Win is the morning line choice in the top pacing mare's class of the night in race 8 for a $1,800 pot. Other top entries include Dueling Banjos (Campbell) and Elm Grove Misty (Dave Kelly).
Catch the action on the worldwide broadcast at Redshores.ca and wager online at HPIBet.com.
By Nicholas Oakes, for Red Shores