Countdown to Governor’s Plate 48 starts Sunday

Summerside, PE – The official countdown to the 48th running of the Governor's Plate, presented by Summerside Chrysler Dodge, gets underway Sunday at Red Shores Summerside. Post time for the 10 dash card is 1pm.

The $5,000 Governor's Plate eliminations will go in races 9 and 10 with the top four advancing to the final on Saturday July 16th. Two- time champion D GS Camme will leave from post two in the first elimination for driver Gilles Barrieau and trainer Jackie Matheson.

The eight year-old pacing star was charted in 1:55.2 in his last start but this guy has his name on the track record sign of 1:53 flat. He will get a lot of respect. Barrieau, who has won the plate five times, will drive for ownership team of Quentin and Hal Bevan, Tom Clark and Ron Matheson, Charlottetown, PE.

Race secretary Gerard Smith is going to the newcomer from New York for his second choice. Ys Lotus, trained by Rene Allard, gets the services of Marc Campbe

ll from post 7. The pacer can close like a freight train with final panels 27.2 and 27.4 and shows trips in 1:52.4. The Jason Hughes stable will send out two contenders. Jeb, a new purchase for Robi Hughes, Blair and Eric MacLauchlan, lands on the rail. Hughes is committed to Narragansett for Foxyhall Racing, Summerside, PE so Kenny Arsenault gets the call on Jeb, a winner in his last three starts.

The field also has First Art Down (Ken Murphy), Junebugs Baby (Myles Heffernan) and Doing Some Damage (Corey MacPherson).

The second elimination has His Boy Elroy listed as the morning favorite for driver-trainer Bernard McCallum and owner Dan MacRae, Baddeck, NS.

The winner of $201,765 lifetime has a terrible starting point (pp8) but ships in from Mohawk racetrack where he shows miles in 1:50 range.

The son of Jeremes Jet could get his first win of 2016 at the historic Summerside raceway which celebrates 130 years of racing. Co- track record holder Big Surf is back from the Trevor Hicken stable and leaves right along side one slot to the left while Ok Galahad will fire from post 4 for Hughes.

The five-year old is sharp right now winning his last three in a row that included the Ladner memorial final is a sparkling 1:54.4. The power-packed roster also includes Warrawee Phoenix (Mark Bradley), Clic K (Gilles Barrieau), Machinthesand (Ken Murphy), Midnight Play (Corey MacPherson) and Forever Paradise (Michael McGuigan).

For a list of entries, race programs or live broadcast go to www.redshores.ca

Perfect Escape remains perfect in top three finishes this season; Final card before action shifts to Summerside for Governor's Plate Week

Final card at Charlottetown Saturday

Charlottetown, PE – Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park will have one more card of racing before all the action shifts to Summerside for Governor's Plate week on Sunday. The capital track presents an 11 dash program Saturday. Opening race post time is 6pm.

Perfect Escape gets the top call in the evening feature in race 11 scheduled for an 8:51pm start. The Jackie Matheson trainee hasn't missed a top three finish since his qualifying start back on June 2nd. Gilles Barrieau will handle the driving duties for owners Jack Keenan, Stratford, PE and Joseph Dahl, Burlington, Ontario.

The horse comes into the event aiming for his 20th lifetime score. Idealic Life (Corey MacPherson) and Rash B Havior (Marc Campbell) will try to spoil the party for the morning line favorite.

The back-up class has All Turain as the leading candidate for owner Lee Hicken, Trainer Trevor Hicken and their pilot Corey MacPherson. MacPherson sits on top of the driver leaderboard with 42 wins. Marc Campbell is second with 41 and Jason Hughes has climbed back into contention with 31.

The park will be dark in support of Governor's Plate week at Red Shores Summerside starting Sunday with two eliminations.

The signature race began in 1969 when Kim Ash and Art Porter won the plate. Since then, there have been many memorable moments such as the dead-heat for win between Luna Fantasia (Danny O'Brien) and Quick Challenge (Dr. Ian Moore) in 1996 or the track record performance of 1:53 by D Gs Camme in 2014.

Driver Gilles Barrieau has won Summerside's race five times with his first trip to victory lane with Comedy Hour in 1998. Dr. Ian Moore has four plates in his trophy case.

For entries, top picks or live broadcast go to www.redshores.ca

by Lee Drake, for Red Shores