CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – The weather is projected to be balmy Sunday and Rose Run Quest will be trying to heat up the new year for his Maritime champion trainer-driver in the preferred pace at Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
The card was moved from today to Sunday due to the weather forecasted for Charlottetown.
First race post time is 12:30 p.m. for the 13-dash program with Rose Run Quest reuniting with Marc Campbell in the bike in Race 9 for owner Blair Hansen of Charlottetown. The six-year-old son of If I Can Dream has drawn the outside in the compact field of five after having his win streak snapped by Adkins Hanover with the Campbell-trainee suffering from a flat tire during that event. Adkins Hanover is absent from competition this week, leaving the door wide open for Rose Run Quest to continue his winning streak.
Czar Seelster comes into the race off a pair of second-place finishes in preferred action to Rose Run Quest and gets Post 4 with Todd Weatherbee in the bike while top open mare Drivingthedragon N will race the boys from Post 1 for trainer-driver Jason Hughes.
Race analyst Les MacIsaac thinks Rose Run Quest will restart the winning streak flame in the $2,400 event.
“Rose Run Quest’s winning streak came to an end last time but the flat tire would have been a contributing factor, don’t you think?” MacIsaac said. “After that bit of bad luck he’ll be looking for redemption today.”
The preferred pace is rounded out by Smiley Bayama (Adam Merner) and Woggy Rocks (Gary Chappell).
Race 6 on the program will see a pair of iron-tough pacing mares taking their last rounds of the historic capital oval. Onehottvett will end her career from Post 2 with Wade Sorrie in the bike for trainer Austin Sorrie and owner Tammy Collings of Hazel Brook. A former winner of the Governor’s Plate week open mares series, Onehotvett will have 43 wins and $235,320 on her dance card before her 322 and final start.
The fastest pacing mare in the history of East Coast harness racing will also make her final appearance behind the gate in that event as Whitesand Artist leaves from Post 3 with Gary Chappell driving for owner-trainer Neil Bambrick. A 33-time winner, Whitesand Artist made history as she set the pacing mare track record on Aug. 26, 2014, during the National Driving Championship with Billy Davis Jr. in the bike. Her 1:53.4 victory that night erased Little Black Book’s track and regional record for aged pacing mares that stood for owner 21 years.
– Compiled by Nicholas Oakes for Red Shores.
