CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – The top pacing mares on Prince Edward Island convene for a rare Monday meeting with some young talent in the mix.
The 12-dash Monday night program, moved from Saturday because of heavy rains in the forecast, kicks off at 6 p.m. at the capital oval.
Race 11 has the $2,350 fillies and mares open pace with Prettyndangerous looking for a repeat performance from Post 3.
David Dowling will look to add to his solid first full season driving on the East Coast with the Bo Ford-trained mare.
The daughter of Armbro Deuce rides a quadruple of top-three finishes into the event for owners Ford and Arnold Myers of Charlottetown, but races in an event with some new blood this week.
R Es Shabla’s stakes career is officially over and now the talented sophomore daughter of Pang Shui will move into aged competition, getting Post 1 for the biggest test of her career with Mike McGuigan in the bike.
Collective Wisdom has been knocking on the door in each of her open starts, but loses regular pilot Gilles Barrieau, who has moved his stable back to New Brunswick. That gives the opportunity to rookie driver Drew Neill to pick up the lines of the 3-1 second choice in the morning line for trainer Jackie Matheson.
Race analyst Les MacIsaac sees a repeat performance of last week in the future of Prettyndangerous.
“Prettyndangerous has been looking more like her old self in recent weeks and last time out was a fairly comfortable winner,” MacIsaac said. “Since she's facing many of the same rivals today from an improved post we won't rule out a repeat.”
Other entries include Drivingthedragon N (Jason Hughes), Julep Hanover (Wade Myers), West River Ambyr (Steven Shepherd) and Killean Finale (Ken Murphy).
The $1,950 open trot hits the track in Race 6 with Majian Tango looking to rectify his break as the betting favourite in last week’s edition of this race. Jim Ripley trains and drives the son of Tad The Stud from Post 2 and is again installed as the morning-line favourite.
Maritime champion Buddy White has drawn Post 1 as he moves out of stakes competition into the open ranks for driver Adam Merner and trainer Blayne White of Belle River.
– Compiled by Nicholas Oakes for Red Shores.
