CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – Island harness racing is getting revved up with three race cards this week, including Saturday at 6 pm at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park and the 2015 season opener at Red Shores Summerside on Sunday afternoon at 1 pm.
The 11-dash Saturday evening card is headlined by six-horses in the race 10 $2,200 feature pace. Tempo Seelster is the classifiers choice from post 4 for owner-trainer-driver Vincent Poulton of Charlottetown. The five-year-old son of Santanna Blue Chip was a winner two weeks ago in this class but fell short last week after leaving from post 7. Carnivore has post 6 for driver Walter Cheverie, trainer Marvyn Webster and owner Valleygrove Farms of Kensington fresh off his 1:56.4 victory in last Saturday's feature. Top Maritime free-for-aller All Turain has post 5 for driver Corey MacPherson, trainer Trevor Hicken and owners Lee Hicken of Charlottetown and Perry Burke of Quebec. All Turain's impressive 2014 season of 12 wins, $28,347 in purses and a mark of 1:54 is enough to inspire race analyst Les MacIsaac to select him to land in the winner's circle.
"This guy was nothing less than dominant last year in some of his races and against some high caliber opposition to boot," MacIsaac said. "Yes, it's his first start off the bench but he wouldn't be out here if he wasn't ready to go. Beware."
Other entries include Cheyenne Ford (Kenny Arsenault), Cabo Pan Lucas (Daniel MacDonald) and My Lucky Killean (Gary Chappell).
The top trotters on the east coast line up in race 3 for a $1,500 purse with last week's winner, Pleasure Girls, the morning line favorite from post 5 with MacPherson in the bike for trainer Ron Gass and owner Shelley Gass of Cornwall. Eat Pray Trot has the rail fresh off an impressive qualifier in Charlottetown trotting his own mile in 2:00.3 for driver Brian MacPhee and owner-trainer Ambyr Campbell of Charlottetown. The field also includes I Aint No Lady (Mike Stevenson), Honeymoonisover (Brian Andrew), Frill Seeker (Kenny Arsenault) and Presto Pegasus (Mark Bradley).
By Nicholas Oakes
Red Shores Summerside Sunday
A 10-dash program will hit the track Sunday afternoon as Red Shores at the Summerside Raceway opens up for the 2015 live racing season.
A top notch top class will line up in race 9 with Outside The Wire the morning line favorite from post 1 with Summerside's leading dash winning trainer and driver, Jason Hughes, at the lines. The six-year-old son of Grinfromeartoear is trained by Craig Avery for owners Andrew Avery of Freetown and John Brodrick of Alberta. New Brunswick invader American Captain has post 4 in the event for Island native trainer-driver Mike Campbell. Campbell has come to the Summerside Raceway from Fredericton, N.B., for the 2015 season. Other entries are Bowyer Hanover (Walter Cheverie), J Rs Hurricane (Gary Chappell), Darth Bader (Gilles Barrieau), and American Terror (Steven Shepherd).
The afternoon back-up class hits the track in race 10 with Motorino favored from post 7 for trainer-driver Terry Gallant, who co-owns with Eric Johnston of Summerside. The four-year-old son of Brian P was purchased by the connections in last January's mixed sale in New Jersey and has been impressive his first few starts on the Island including a 1:58 victory last week in Charlottetown. Other top entries in the eight horse field include Haunto (Barrieau) and D Bs Rosco (Kenny Arsenault).
Customers will be greeted to a list of new promotions including the Super High 5, Pik 3 and Pik 4. On-track players will be offered the Pick 5, Wild Horses tags on races 2-10 with jackpots and Set for Summer promo where customers have a chance to qualify to win weekly prizes with the grand prize of $1,000 a week for 10 weeks being drawn on the first day of summer June 21, 2015.
For race programs, Jared's Picks or live broadcast go to www.redshores.ca or twitter at leedrake01 or red_shores
Lee A. Drake