CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — The 2019 stakes season kicked off Monday afternoon at Exhibition Park Raceway in Saint John, N.B., with the Dawn Bremner Memorial Stake.
The Bremner Memorial had one division each for three-year-old colt and filly pacers at the port city half-miler.
So Much More won the $8,015 sophomore filly division, stopping the clock in 1:59.3 over Woodmere Tango (Clare MacDonald) and Pickpocketprincess (Todd Trites). Tom Weatherbie trains the Ontario-sired daughter of Big Jim for owner Doug MacPhee of New Haven. Mark Bradley was in the race bike for the victory.
The $8,465 Bremner three-year-old pacing colt division was also claimed by an Island horse as Ontario-bred Carlisimo won the event in 1:58.1 with Trites at the lines. Kevin MacLean trains the son of Shadow Play for owner Reg MacPherson of Stratford. Second place went to Notorious (Marc Campbell) with Red Dirt Boomer (Mark Haig) third.
Three-year-old stakes action continues Sunday at Red Shores at the Summerside Raceway with the Ruby Chappell and Bob Dewar Memorial Stakes. The 11-dash program will feature three divisions of the Chappell Memorial stake for pacing fillies while a trio of Dewar divisions will be held for pacing colts.
Magical Mistress will look to start a new undefeated season in her $8,100 Chappell division in Race 7 with new ownership this year. The unbeaten daughter of Camystic was sold by owner Barry Martin late last year and is now owned by Don MacRae of Vernon Bridge and Quebec native Rene Allard. Magical Mistress had 12-straight wins as a two-year-old in 2018.
The Sunday afternoon stakes action will see a number of horses make the trek from the mainland to battle for the $48,600. Trainer Joe Baxter will send out pacing fillies Im A Miracle and Elm Grove Nellie. But Magical Mistress’ arch-rival Therealdeal will not be ready for Sunday. The daughter of Westwardho Hanover is scheduled to qualify Friday night at Truro Raceway in Nova Scotia.
Who’s Hot
In a feat rarely seen in harness racing, Winsloe driver Marc Campbell pulled a figurative rabbit out of his helmet last week in Charlottetown.
Campbell had four drives on the Thursday, May 16, program at the capital oval and hit the wire first with all four of them. Campbell scored wins with Arc Light ($4.30 to win), Scott Out Of Here ($6.10), Freddie ($3.10) and Jetster ($5.20). Winning four races with a full slate of drives is hard enough to do but what Campbell accomplished is truly something else that won’t be seen for a while.
Across The Continent
Former Island stallion Cougar Hall has surfaced back into racing action with a 1:56.4 qualifying win at Monticello Raceway in New York this week. The grey stallion was standing the past two seasons at Meridian Farms but was trained back to the races by Miltonvale Park trainer Jeff Lilley this past winter. Cougar Hall is now back in the care of his owner, Cape Breton native Jeff Gillis.
Nick’s Picks
Saturday at 6 p.m. at Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park:
Race 1 – Sterling Thought
Race 2 – Three Truths
Race 3 – Dangle Ona Dime
Race 4 – Woodmere Soul
Race 5 – Mach Of Ballykeel
Race 6 – The Big Bite
Race 7 – Sodwana Bay
Race 8 – Jeb
Race 9 – Revenant
Race 10 – Junebugs Baby
Nicholas Oakes' column appears in The Guardian each Friday. He can be reached at [email protected].
