MacKenzie Memorial set for Friday at Truro

A long-time staple on the Maritime harness racing stake circuit, the Carl and Marg MacKenzie Memorial Stake returns to Truro Raceway this Friday, September 6th with 5 divisions, 3 for three-year-old pacing fillies and 2 for three-year-old pacing colts.

On the colt side, in the first division (5th race) Jackies Boy (Tobago Cays) comes in off a track record setting performance at Woodstock in the $50,000 Barrieau-McIssac Memorial Stake, smoking the 3-year-old pacing colts track record in 154.4 for driver Myles Heffernan Sr and his son Myles Jr, who trains and owns the horse and will start from post 5. He’ll face off against the perennially tough Tobins Chester (Shanghail Phil), who has 7 wins in 10 seasonal starts, including 5 Atlantic Sires Stakes “A” events, but was three lengths back of Jackies Boy in finishing third at Woodstock.  He draws post two for driver Jason Hughes and trainer Ashley Gamester, for owner Donald Mac Rae of Vernon Bridge, PEI.

In the second division (Race 8) Merigo Magic (Tobago Cays) draws post one for driver Adam Merner and trainer Melissa Rennie and comes in off a very sharp second place finish to Jackies Boy in the Barrieau-McIssac.  The 3-year-old son of Tobago Cays holds a seasonal record of 6 wins and 11 on the board finishes in 12 starts this season, with earnings of $63,049 for owners Mike May, Herman McQuaid, Derrick Cameron and Ian Walker, all of PEI.   Tackling him from post three will be Pauls Crown (Hilarious Halo), for driver Marc Campbell and trainer Brent Campbell.  Fresh off a new lifetime best in 154.4 in an overnight event at Charlottetown, he sports a 2-6-2 record in 14 starts and $27,476 in earnings for Grayland Farms of Elleslie, PEI and Joseph Gamba of Gulf Shores, NS.

On the filly side, in the first division (race 3) Starship Beauty (Arthur Blue Chip) will leave from post 3 and has been finding her form recently, including an impressive victory in the Lady Slipper two starts back and a solid second to Galway Girl in an overnight event, both at Charlottetown.  She is trained by Kyle Williams and will be driven by David Dowling for owner Dads Without Abs of Fredericton, PEI.   Also contending in the first division and leaving from post two is Miss Wicked (Mcwicked) for driver Corey MacPherson and trainer Joe Baxter.  The 3-year-old had success earlier this summer at Truro, taking a division of the Frank and Beth Stanfield Stake and comes in off an easy 157.4 win in an overnight event last week.   She sports a 3-1-0 record in 8 starts this season for owner Blaine Thibeau of Kensington, PEI.

In the second filly division (Race 10) last year’s Diamond Classic Champion at Truro, Chip of Evil (Arthur Blue Chip) returns to the oval and has post 5 for driver Corey MacPherson in a compact field of 6.   She is in fine form, with two back-to-back victories in the Lady Slipper and Atlantic Sires Stakes “A” action, setting a new lifetime mark of 154.4 in her latest at Charlottetown for trainer Eddy Doucette and the Inarush Stable of Kensington, PEI.  Against her will be locally owned and trained Saulsbrook Feisty (Big Jim), who will leave from post 2 and will be driven by Paul Langille for trainer Carrie Saunders, who co-owns the filly with Lois Saunders of Bible Hill, NS.  This season, she has won divisions both the Stanfield Stake and the Phil Pinkney and has 3 wins in 7 starts this season.

In the third division (race 13) although it’s a compact field of 6, there is a lot of quality in the field.  Zendayas First Lady (Arthur Blue Chip) comes in off a career best 157.1 score in an overnight event and will look to tangle with stakes types in here, after being a cheque getter, but not a dominant force in Atlantic Sires Stake “A” action this season.  Myles Heffernan will handle the lines for trainer Stephen Quinn for owner John Quinn of Charlottetown, PEI.  She has stashed away $28,575 this season.

Goodmorning Nova (Arthur Blue Chip) is looking to rebound and re-capture the winning form that made her among the best fillies in the division last season, having not hit the board in her latest three starts, but prior to that had 3 wins in a row, two of which came at Truro in the Stanfield and Turner stakes. She will leave from post 5 and be driven by Jason Hughes for trainer Ashley Gamester and owners Melissa Banks of Summerside and Jason Williams of McNeill’s Mills, PEI.

Miss Dutton (Rollwithitharry) comes in with 3 wins and a second-place finish in her past 4 starts and set a new lifetime mark of 155.0 in her latest in the Lady Slipper at Charlottetown.  Corey MacPherson will drive for trainer Kuri White and the Shoulda Been Onabeach Stable of Charlottetown, PEI.

In the Winners Over Top Class, veteran war horse American Risk (American Ideal) will look to win on home turf, after setting a new lifetime mark during old home week in PEI of 153.0.   Owned by the Risky Bizz Group of Truro and trained by George Rennison, he has picked up 6 wins and hit the board in 12 of 13 starts this season and will be driven by Corey MacPherson from post 7.   Joining him in the field is Rollwithhottytoddy (Rollwithitharry), who was a game second behind Roll Em at Truro in the Lindsay Construction Cup Invitational in July and won a division of the PEI Colts race on August 24th.  Myles Heffernan will drive for owner/trainer Trevor Hicken of Montague, PEI.   Also in the field are former Gold Cup and Saucer winner Time to Dance (A Rocknroll Dance) and Truro Raceway’s most improved horse, Fifth Estate (Country Estate), who has marched his way up the class ladder to the top class for Trainer Driver Ernie Laffin.

Post time for the race card is 6:30pm Atlantic/5:30pm Eastern time.

For complete race entries, click here.

From Truro Raceway