Sophomore trotters ready for second leg clash

CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – The second leg of the All Star Cresting Trot Series goes postward in Race 8 on Thursday evening at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park, and it’s another wide-open harness racing edition of the $5,500 tilt.

The post time for the 14-dash card is 6 P.M.

Bless Me Father defeated this group last week in leg 1 and has post 6 this week with Marc Campbell back aboard for owner-trainer Donna Van Meer of Mount Herbert. The son of Father Patrick scored a narrow decision in 1:59.1 last time out.

Arete Hanover (To be driven by Corey MacPherson) has rail control after making a break in the final strides of leg 1 but still finishing a close second.

Also in the field are Fire The Rocket (Jason Hughes), Supreme Rockette (Gilles Barrieau), My Pocket Rocket (Ken Murphy), Little Arrow (Myles Heffernan Sr.) and Oceanview Nikki (Mike McGuigan).

The top trotters line up in Race 10, the $4,200 Open Trot, with Buckhead Ridge listed as the 5-2 morning line favourite for the Campbell clan. The son of Nuncio has won five straight since relocating to the Landon Campbell barn and has Marc Campbell in the seat for owner Brady Doyle of Stratford.

New Legacy (David Dowling) has been second every start this season to Buckhead Ridge and has post 2 Thursday. Fight Song (Hughes) will threaten from post 1.

The program also has a pair of $5,200 P.E.I. Colt Stakes Graduate Series Grassroots divisions, presented by JD Marine and Diving Inc., for pacing mares. The 5-2 morning line favourite in the first division in race 11 is Islebetu Islebeatu (Barrieau) for trainer Brendan Mullen and owner Heather Sheen of Summerside. Other rivals include Woodmere Kennedie (Marc Campbell) from post 1, Allaboutthebet (Brady Sweet) with post 3 and Redland Peaches (Darren Crowe) from post 7.

The evening wraps up with Race 14, the second $5,200 Graduate Grassroots division, and Windemere Saddy sits atop the morning line at 5-2 for driver Marc Campbell and trainer Saul Lanigan, who co-owns with Shane Esson, Darcy Doyle and Isaac Schurman. The daughter of Malicious will face off with all three of the winners from the first leg of the series in post 1 starter Freaky Fanny (Darren Crowe), Promise Me Later (David Dowling) with post 7 and Sensational Gal (Barrieau) from post 8.

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For complete race entries, click here.

by Nicholas Oakes, for Red Shores