CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – The top two sophomore pacers in Atlantic Canada have avoided each other so far in 2018, but their much-anticipated match-up will happen tonight in Maritime Breeder’s final action at Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
The 12-dash card begins at 6 p.m. with the Doug Harkness Memorial Maritime Breeder’s Final for three-year-old pacing colts lining up in Race 11.
Half Cut and Sock It Away are both perfect from three starts this season while drawing into different divisions every week. That ends tonight as Half Cut will leave from Post 6 in the $18,000 final for driver Mark Bradley as the morning-line favourite. Tom Weatherbie trains the son of Stonebridge Terror for owners Kyle and Joseph Gardiner, Jerry MacKinnon, and Mike Currie.
Sock It Away was unlucky again on draw day with his undefeated streak on the line from Post 8. Marc Campbell drives the Summerside Raceway track record holder for trainer Kevin MacLean and owner Reg MacPherson of Stratford.
Other entries in the final include Woodmere Ideal Art (Jason Hughes), Dustylanewesty (Clare MacDonald), Tobins Lightning (Kenny Arsenault), The Colonel (Gilles Barrieau), Rockin Party (Danny Romo) and Dowahs Boy (Adam Merner).
The Ken Starratt Memorial three-year-old pacing filly Maritime Breeder’s Final hits the track in Race 9 for a $22,100 purse.
Royaltywestho is the presumptive favourite from Post 3 fresh off an easy 1:57.4 victory in her elimination for driver Walter Cheverie, co-owner and trainer Joe Baxter and co-owner Gregory Francis of Windsor, N.S. R Es Shabla had the faster elimination win with a time of 1:56.3 but draws Post 7 for driver Mike McGuigan, trainer Leonard McGuigan and owner Lloyd Parsons of Carmanville, N.L.
The field is completed by Saulsbrook Coral (David Dowling), Woodmere Saphire (Corey MacPherson), Woodmere Ceilidh (MacDonald), Kahlua Morning (Jason Hughes), Chocolate Terror (Darren Crowe) and Woodmere Chella (Barrieau).
The preferred pace lines up in Race 10 for a $2,650 pot as the top pacers in the Maritimes prep for next week’s Cecil Ladner Memorial Invitational. Euchred is the morning-line choice from the rail with Merner in the seat for trainer Terry Gallant and owner Kayla Habicht Walker of Inverness, N.S. Other top entries include Ashes To Ashes (Barrieau) and Rose Run Quest (Campbell).
Summerside
If the first part of the 2018 racing season has shown us anything it’s Ramblinglily just will not quit but will face her biggest test to date Sunday at Red Shores at the Summerside Raceway.
First race post time is 1 p.m. for the 13-dash program featuring the first leg of the Atlantic Aged Mares Pacing series. Ramblinglily is shouldered with Post 8 in a $3,870 division in Race 11 with Gary Chappell back in the bike for co-owner and trainer Allan Jones of Riverview, N.B., and co-owner Norman Leger of Shediac, N.B. The daughter of Articulator has been perfect this season but has a fresh face to contend with Sunday afternoon.
Sodwana Bay ships in from the Ontario circuit to draw Post 2 in her East Coast debut for trainer-driver Gilles Barrieau and owner Wayne MacRae of Fall River, N.S., and Howmac Farms Ltd., of North Wiltshire. The No Pan Intended mare has a trio of second-place finishes in her last three outings and is installed at 7-2 morning-line odds Sunday. Other top entries include Prettyndangerous (Merner) and Drivingthedragon N (Hughes).
The other $3,870 Atlantic Aged Pacing Mares division is in Race 9 with Shadows Mystery the morning-line choice from Post 5 with Barrieau picking up the catch drive for owner-trainer Gordie Ford. West River Ambyr has been very consistent this season with six straight top-two finishes and leaves from Post 8 for driver Steven Shepherd. Woodmere Finesse is installed as third choice, fresh off a 1:57.2 victory at Truro Raceway in Nova Scotia for trainer-driver Bernard McCallum.
The Race 12 top class has Heart And Soul favoured with rail control for trainer-driver Walter Cheverie and owner Riley Farms Ltd., of Summerside. Salmonier Storm (Ambyr Campbell) and Confident Fella (Campbell) are top contenders in the $2,200 event.
Compiled by Nicholas Oakes for Red Shores
