Basho favoured in Gary Smith Memorial

CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – Basho (Captain Crunch) and driver Adam Merner will look to kick off 10-days of world class harness racing on Thursday at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.

The capital oval will host 12-dashes starting at 6 P.M., with Basho the top selection in the Gary Smith Memorial in race 1. Red Shores Charlottetown will host live racing every day except for Sunday August 10 leading up to the $100,000 Gold Cup and Saucer , presented by Atlantic Lottery, that will end Old Home Week 2025 on Saturday August 16.

The $3,250 Thursday opening dash has the Merner driven Basho looking to build off her 1:58.2 victory last time out for co-owner and trainer David O’Brien and fellow owners Cam and Gordon MacPhee. The rookie daughter of Captain Crunch has post 6 in the field.

Cant Catch Pepper (To be driven by Gilles Barrieau) is a top play from post 4 from the Tom Weatherbie barn. The daughter of Big Jim-Ladysai is seeking her first lifetime win as she looks to catch up to her full-sister, O’Brien Award winning pacing mare So Much More.

Race 4 is the Drew Power Memorial Trot. Glider Man gets the top call in the $3,600 event from post 6 for owner-trainer Jennifer Doyle with David Dowling in the driver’s seat. His chief rivals include sophomore trotting star Supreme Rockette (Barrieau) from post 2 and Ripped And Ready (Brett Clow) from post 4.

The Enid Morrison Memorial is in race 5 as Sagali looks for the lion’s share of the $2,800 purse from post 4 with Corey MacPherson aboard for trainer Phil Kelly and owner The Sagali Six Stable of Charlottetown. The Shanghai Phil mare was a winner in 1:58.3 in her latest. She goes up against seven other pacers including Skip Across (Jason Hughes) and Topville Angelina (Barrieau).

Twin B Solitaire gets the top call for trainer-driver Steven Murphy in the Benevolent Irish Society 200th Anniversary Pace in race 6. Amanda and Barry MacTavish share ownership of the Betting Line mare as she takes on Smiilin In Heaven (Gary Chappell) and Heatherspet (MacPherson).

The Doane Grant Thornton Pace in race 8 will see Real Smokeshow (Hughes) try to deliver from post 3 for trainer Ashley Gamester and owner Donald MacRae.

Race 9 is the Keith Duke MacCallum Memorial as Shake N Blake (Dowling) gets top call for owner-trainer Doyle fresh off a win in 1:57.2.

Wager online at HPIBET.COM, and visit Redshores.ca for the Race Day broadcast, programs, and live video streaming.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Nicholas Oakes, for Red Shores