CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – The Thursday night harness racing feature promises to be a close one at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park as arguments can be made for any of the seven entrants to land in the winner's circle.
First race post time is 7 pm for the 12-dash card with the $2,000 featured pace lining up in race 11. Cabo Pan Lucas is the classifier's choice from post 1 with Daniel MacDonald in the bike for owner-trainer Gary Poulton and co-owner Alan Walker, all of Charlottetown. The eight-year-old chestnut son of The Panderosa has yet to finish out of the top three in 2015 and will have six worthy competitors to face off with. Say It Again Sam (To be driven by Jason Hughes) will make his 2015 debut from post 2 after a stellar 2014 campaign that saw him win 10 straight races, while Motorino (Terry Gallant) will look to keep his own win streak alive from post 5 after winning his last two outings. Fellow Poulton trainee I D K (Vincent Poulton) has post 4 in the field that also includes McJestic (Corey MacPherson), My Lucky Killean (Gary Chappell) and Cheyenne Ford (Kenny Arsenault).
Race analyst Les McIsaac likes the chances of I D K in the seven-horse event.
"If he's able to set up show on the front end, and with his gate speed there's no reason to think he can't, there could be nothing but open road ahead," MacIsaac said.
The evening trot class will compete in race 5 for a $1,350 pot with veteran Caliban Hanover the morning line choice from post 6 for trainer-driver Ron Gass and owner Wendell MacDonald of Cornwall. The 10-year-old son of Andover Hall will compete with Howmacs Pride (Arsenault) and Honeymoonisover (Mark Bradley) for top honours in the field of eight.
A newcomer to Charlottetown will have her first crack at the top mares on the east coast in the race 9 Fillies and Mares Open with a $2,250 purse. Roca Rei was racing at Flamboro Downs in Ontario for trainer Patrick Shepherd but now calls the Hughes stable home, with Jason "The Blue Knight" Hughes in the bike from post 4 for owner Robi Hughes of Stratford. The seven-year-old Cheyenne Rei mare has taken a mark of 1:57.1 at the half-mile oval at Western Fair Raceway in London, Ont. All ready this season but will have to fight off perennial top Maritime Mare General Luckypercy (Ron Matheson) in her 2015 debut with post 2, as well as the Alliegetty (Gary Chappell) with a two-race win streak on the line from post 7. Other entries include Dirt Track Momma (Marc Campbell), Blazing By (Brian Andrew), Sea Anna Win (Earl Smith) and Brodys Leona (MacPherson).
For complete listing of entries, top picks or race broadcasts go to www.redshores.ca
By Nicholas Oakes