With his perfect victory in the $25,000 Governor’s Plate final fresh in everyone’s minds, Czar Seelster takes to the road and will be the favourite in the $7,500 Lindsay Construction Exhibition Cup Invitational Saturday at Truro Raceway in Nova Scotia.
Owned by Tammy Johnston of Vernon River and trained by Todd Weatherbee, Czar Seelster has drawn the outside in the field of seven for driver Kenny Arsenault.
Euchred did all the roadwork but was defeated in the Governor’s Plate final and gets Post 6 this week with trainer Terry Gallant picking up the reigns in the absence of regular driver Adam Merner, who will compete in Charlottetown that night. In Spades was a non-factor from Post 7 in the Governor’s Plate final but will look for redemption from Post 2 for driver Austion Sorrie.
Also in the field is Keep Coming (driven by Dale Spence), Tobinator (Corey MacPherson), Do Over Hanover (Jason Hughes) and Rose Run Quest (Gilles Barrieau).
Grand Circuit week racing is featured all week at the Bible Hill, N.S., oval with cards Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday with stakes featured on every program.
P.E.I. Scene
Some new horses dot the landscape as racing returns to Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park this week.
Revenant makes his East Coast debut in Race 8 on the CDP card for driver Adam Merner and new trainer Melissa Rennie. The winner of four races sports a mark of 1:55 over Pompano Park in Florida. He is now owned by Kyla MacDonald of Stanhope and Owen Livingston of Cornwall.
Rockin Indy is a fresh acquisition for owner-trainer Troy Murray of Clyde River. A five-year-old son of Rockin Image, Rockin Indy has been racing at Northville Downs in Michigan and Scioto Downs in Ohio. Walter Cheverie will drive Rockin Indy Saturday night in the Race 10 preferred pace in Charlottetown.
The weekend cards at Red Shores Charlottetown and Summerside will be part of National Caretakers Days. In honour of the men and women who put countless hours into caring for their animals, the Saturday and Sunday programs will have grooms names announced in the post parade as well as a complimentary winner’s circle photo for each winning horse.
Across The Continent
The summer mixed sale at the Meadowlands in New Jersey was held recently with a potential entrant for the upcoming The Guardian Gold Cup and Saucer going through the ring. Fool Me Once was purchased for $65,000 U.S. by trainer Patrick Shepherd of Ontario, but originally from Stratford, P.E.I. The eight-year-old son of Art Major is a winner of 39 races and $1.1 million in purses during his career with his latest start a victory in 1:51.1 at Woodbine Mohawk Park in Ontario. Sporting a lifetime best of 1:48.1 over Mohawk, Fool Me Once will make his first start for Shepherd Saturday night at that same track in Race 11 with Doug McNair in the bike.
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Nick’s Picks
Saturday at 6 p.m. at Red Shores at the CDP:
Race 1 – Force Seelster
Race 2 – Desired Treasure
Race 3 – Artners In Crime
Race 4 – Textually Active
Race 5 – Shaker Maker
Race 6 – Red Dirt Rebel
Race 7 – Big Surf
Race 8 – Jetster
Race 9 – The Big Bite
Race 10 – Red Magician
Race 11 – Political Crisis
Nicholas Oakes’ column appears in The Guardian each Friday. He can be reached at [email protected].
