CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — The top mares on the East Coast will again meet in the Saturday afternoon feature at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
The 12-dash card gets underway at 12:30 p.m., with the $2,400 top class lining up in Race 11. Collective Wisdom is pegged as the morning-line favourite from Post 4 with Gilles Barrieau in the driver’s seat for trainer Jackie Matheson and owner Woodmere Farms of Marshfield.
The daughter of American Ideal has made six trips to the winner’s circle this season for $11,408 in earnings.
Maritime-champion Arc Light will leave from Post 5 for trainer-driver Marc Campbell while last week’s top-class winner, Imagine Speed, will leave from Post 8. Adam Merner will drive Imagine Speed this week as regular driver Dale Spence has made the move to Florida for the winter months and will not be back in regular competition on P.E.I. until the spring.
Race analyst Les MacIsaac also places Collective Wisdom on top of his selections.
“Collective Wisdom is reunited with Gilles and it looks like the front could be hers for the taking,” MacIsaac said. “There could be nothing to stand in her way.”
Also in the field are West River Ambyr (driven by Steven Shepherd), Paythelinebluechip (Ken Murphy), Mrs Dragonfire (Jason Hughes), Julep Hanover (Wade Myers), Private Di (Kenny Arsenault) and Dancers Pass (David Dowling).
An early break in stride sealed the fate of Star Photo in last week’s open trot. He gets another crack at those top trotters in Saturday’s Race 6 open trot for a $2,250 purse. Jason Hughes is back in the bike behind the Post 4 starter for trainer Kevin Gillis and owners Robi Hughes and Eric MacLauchlan of Stratford and Blair MacLauchlan of Charlottetown.
The veteran son of Classic Photo will again face off with Freddie (Campbell) from Post 5 and Majian Tango (Jim Ripley) from Post 3.
Sunday
There is also live harness racing in Charlottetown on Sunday as a 13-dash card gets underway at 12:30 p.m.
Hughes will be at the lines of Woodmere Ideal Art from Post 4 in the Race 13 top class for a $2,900 purse. The preferred pace has the son of Articulator as the morning-line favourite for trainer Sifroi Melanson and owner Ultimate Stable of Greater Lakeburn, N.B.
His last start was a three-length victory in the preferred pace at Red Shores Charlottetown on Oct. 26.
Well Did draws Post 5 in the field for trainer-driver Paul Langille. The horse is coming off a pair of victories in the top class at Truro Raceway in Nova Scotia.
Nogreatmischief has rail control for trainer-driver Walter Cheverie after having not seen the pylons behind the starting gate since Aug. 4.
MacIsaac sides with Woodmere Ideal Art as his top pick.
