Connell Park hosting top stakes Friday

Horse Racing New Brunswick jumps back into harness racing action on Friday (Aug. 4) with a super stacked program beginning at 5:30 P.M at Connell Park in Woodstock, New Brunswick.

Featured on the program are the timeless classic, The Maritimer stake for three-year old fillies and the Kelti Burnett Memorial invitational pace.

There will be $ 48,700 in purse money including the $ 23,600 Maritimer, the $ 8000 Kelti Burnett and two top overnight events.

John H Davies Memorial trot will be for $ 4000, while the Standardbred Canada aged pacing mares, second leg go for $ 5000.

In the Kelti Burnett Memorial, all eyes will be on the newcomer American History who is New Brunswick owned by Patrick Hill of Fredericton, N.B.

He is fresh off a second place effort at Woodbine Mohawk Park and paced his own mile in 1:49.1. He is being prepped for an appearance in the prestigious Gold Cup and Saucer later this month at Red Shores Charlottetown. He will score from post-four.

Dale Spence picks up the driving assignment and his wife Mackenzie handles the training chores. He will have a steep test including the returning champ of the Kelti Burnett and Time To Dance and Marc Campbell from post five.

Others in the Kelti Burnett Memorial are American Risk ( Todd Trites ), Mantario ( Myles Heffernan) ), No Plan Intended ( Corey Macpherson ), and Pick A Genre ( Mitchell Mark Downey ).

In the $ 23,600 Maritimer, it looks to be a battle of fillies from post one and two. Our Girl Annie and Corey Macpherson rides a two race win streak, and has banked over $ 38,000 this year.

Singing Ramona will have the rail position with Marc Campbell and is seven of nine in the top-three on the year. Others on the race include Silent Movie Star ( Dale Spence ), Howmac Jazzy Girl ( Todd Trites ) and Woodmere Jade ( Myles Heffernan).

In the Standardbred Canada sponsored aged mares, Plain Jane is fresh off an eye-catching win at Truro in 1:53.1. She has the Maritime dash king Marc Campbell as trainer and driver from post two.

Therealprincess, owned by Dr. Mitchell Downey will look for a solid effort from post three. She was fourth in last week’s Walter Dale Memorial racing against the boys. Chelski makes her second start on Maritime soil, off a second place effort in her debut, charted in 1:54.4.

Other starters in the second leg are Vines To Heaven ( Todd Trites ) and J J Breanne and John Davidson.

In the John H. Davies trot, his two sons Ivan Davies and Owen Davies both will harness up starters in their Dad’s Memorial race.

Todd Trites will drive the Owen Davies trainee and owned Gone Madigan from post three, while Ivan Davies will have the U.S owned Marauder Seelster from post four.

They’ll have last year’s winner of Davies Memorial trot to contend with as eighty-two time winner Freddie will have post two for Marc Campbell.

Rounding out the trotting event is Tequila Tuesday who hopes Friday will be his night for driver Myles Heffernan. Purse is a nice pay day of $ 4000.

In total, eight races will be in store for the fans at Connell Park and if you can’t make it on Friday, Universum Media will have it streamed on their official YouTube channel.

Horse Racing New Brunswick would like to thank everyone involved in Friday night’s card and wish all the best of luck racing and their support of harness racing in New Brunswick.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Scott Waddell, for Horse Racing New Brunswick