CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — The Maritime Breeders Finals are in the books and now stakes action shifts to Truro Raceway this week with MacKenzie memorial stakes Friday night.
The Carl and Marg MacKenzie memorial stakes have two divisions each for three-year-old pacing colts and fillies at the Bible Hill, N.S., half-miler.
The first $7,467 split for sophomore pacing colts will see Red Dirt Rocknroll as the morning-line favourite for owners Lenny Myers and Jack Quinn with David Dowling in the bike fresh off a 1:57 and change win in Charlottetown.
The second colt division has newly minted Maritime Breeders champion Red Dirt Boomer leaving from Post 2 for trainer-driver Gilles Barrieau and owner Daniel Ross of Belfast. Both Red Dirt Boomer and Red Dirt Rocknroll are products of Lowell Balderston’s standardbred nursery in North Wiltshire.
In three-year-old pacing filly action, the first $7,842 MacKenzie division for females has the talented Shadow Play filly You Aint Dolly pegged for the top spot from Post 3 for driver Mark Bradley, trainer and co-owner Brendan Curran of Peakes and co-owners Alby Curran of Alberry Plains and Craig Arsenault of Summerside. You Aint Dolly has been perfect from two tries this season.
The other MacKenzie split for fillies has the other newly minted Maritime Breeders champion as the top pick. Arc Light has rail control for trainer Marc Campbell and owner Grayland Farms of Pugwash, N.S., but Barrieau will pick up the catch drive as Campbell elected to steer Post 2 starter Ma Rebelle, also from his own stable.
In Island racing action, the Cecil Ladner memorial invitational will pit the best pacers on the Eastern Seaboard against one another on Saturday evening’s program carded as Race 11. First race post time for the Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park (CDP) card is 6 p.m.
All Artist will be the one to knock off after his 1:53.4 victory June 14 at Truro Raceway. Barrieau gets the catch-driving call from new trainer Toby MacDonald as the Anthony Stymest-owned pacer ships in from the New England racing circuit. Bugsy Maguire made his East Coast debut Saturday at the CDP and laid parked every step with Barrieau in the bike and was still only beat by a length in 1:54.2. The Wade Sorrie-trained pacer will get Myles Heffernan Sr., at the lines Saturday evening. The power-packed field also includes Down On My Luck, Doctor Royal, Rose Run Quest, Euchred, Revenant and Screen Test.
The future stars of 2019 qualifiers were scheduled for Saturday morning but due to an impending weather system, officials at Red Shores have moved them to Monday evening at 6 p.m. at the CDP. The qualifying card will be broadcast worldwide on www.Redshores.ca.
Nick’s Picks
Saturday at 6 p.m. at Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park:
Race 1 – All Turain
Race 2 – Whipple Effect
Race 3 – R Es Daz
Race 4 – At The Helm
Race 5 – The Big Bite
Race 6 – Jordies Hope
Race 7 – Perfect Escape
Race 8 – Big Surf
Race 9 – Eagle Jolt
Race 10 – Forever Paradise
Race 11 – Bugsy Maguire
Race 12 – Tobinator
Nicholas Oakes' column appears in The Guardian each Friday. He can be reached at [email protected].
