CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – The first championship finals of the 2018 season highlight the Saturday evening program at Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park with Maritime Breeder’s final action.
The three-year-old pacing colt final, named in honour of the late Doug Harkness, has Half Cut and Sock It Away putting their undefeated seasons on the line in the Race 11 $18,000 final. Half Cut and driver Mark Bradley were ultra-impressive in their elimination last week with an easy 1:56.2 victory, but Sock It Away was also no slouch, winning from the eight-hole in 1:56.1 with Marc Campbell in tow. Sock It Away will have to overcome Post 8 again this week to land in the winner’s circle but don’t forget the winner of this race last year, Ashes To Ashes, proved it’s not impossible to win from the outside rail.
The $22,100 three-year-old pacing fillies final lines up in Race 9 as the Ken Starratt Memorial.
Royaltywestho has won both her outings in 2018 with Walter Cheverie in the bike and gets Post 3 as the morning-line favourite. The faster elimination win was had by R Es Shabla in 1:56.3 as driver Mike McGuigan will look for his first stakes final victory from Post 7.
Sunday afternoon in Summerside will see the first leg of the Atlantic Aged Pacing Mares series in Races 9 and 11.
P.E.I. Scene
My condolences to the Smallwood family on the passing of trainer-driver Joe Smallwood last week.
The 80-year-old Stratford resident campaigned numerous stakes champions throughout the years with JK Beauty as his most notable. JK Beauty, with Smallwood at the lines, set the overall track record at Truro Raceway in 1:56.3 in 1990, with the standard still holding for sophomore fillies until Filly Forty Seven broke it last year. Smallwood also won the Gold Cup and Saucer with Sauls Pride in 1980 and 1982.
Canada Wide
Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park in Ontario, Kingston native Anthony MacDonald drives Lawmaker in the $266,000 Goodtimes final for three-year-old trotting colts for his The Stable ownership group. The three-year-old son of Muscle Massive was a solid second in his elimination last Saturday trotting in 1:53.
Anthony’s younger brother, James MacDonald, also has catch drives in some major stakes. The 32-year-old drives Dream Together for trainer Luc Blais in the $250,000 Armbro Flight final for aged trotting mares, Ellis Park in the $100,000 Mohawk Gold Cup Invitational and Big Thong in the $415,000 Fan Hanover final for three-year-old pacing fillies.
Meridian Farms has announced the passing of stallion Ameripan Gigolo at the age of 20. The son of Artsplace was a constant high percentage stallion in Atlantic Canada siring champions like Dixieland Band, Dustylane Mcvickie and Party Rockin. A winner of $470,000 in his own right, Ameripan Gigolo had been relocated to Western Canada to stand the 2018 season.
Nick’s Picks
Saturday at 6 p.m. at Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park:
Race 1 – Red Dirt Rebel
Race 2 – Fly With Max
Race 3 – Easy Flyer
Race 4 – Smiley Bayama
Race 5 – Dusty Lane Artiste
Race 6 – Weekend At Nannies
Race 7 – Silverinyourpocket
Race 8 – Perfect Escape
Race 9 – Royaltywestho
Race 10 – Euchred
Race 11 – Half Cut
Race 12 – Winter Blast
Nicholas Oakes' column appears in The Guardian each Friday. He can be reached at [email protected].
