Big stakes day ahead at Summerside

SUMMERSIDE, PE – JJ Xavier (Tobago Cays) will look for the lion’s share of one of the Atlantic harness racing season’s biggest purses on a super-stakes Sunday (Oct. 2) at Red Shores at the Summerside Raceway.

The western track has an 11-dash all stakes presentation getting underway at 1 P.M., featuring the Joe O’Brien Memorial stake for three-year-old pacing colts, the Atlantic Aged Pacing Mares – presented by Standardbred Canada and the Lady Slipper stake for three-year-old pacing fillies and two and three-year-old trotters.

JJ Xavier has drawn post 2 in the richest race of the day in the lone O’Brien Gold division for sophomore colts carrying a hefty $34,800 purse. Gilles Barrieau trains and drives the colt for David Lund of Moncton, N.B. His top rivals are Stash It Away (To be driven by Corey MacPherson) and St Charles Fireball (Marc Campbell).

The Backstretch Beat thinks driver Barrieau can steer JJ Xavier to victory and double the colt’s seasonal earnings.

“JJ Xavier finally gets a good draw for Barrieau and picks a great day to find a lefthand spot on the gate. Barrieau is called ‘The Maritime Magic Man’ for a reason and we’re betting he may show us exactly why in here.”

The pacing fillies will see Lady Slipper Gold action in races 3 and 9.

Therealprincess (Source Of Pride) will attempt to set a new earnings record in her $20,600 Lady Slipper Gold division in race 9 while searching for her 14^th straight victory. The filly has $85,470 earned in 2022 and is $2,000 shy of eclipsing Woodmere Skyroller’s Atlantic earnings record for a single season. MacPherson drives Therealprincess for trainer Eddy Doucette.

Woodmere Jazz (Rollwithitharry, Barrieau) is top choice in the other $20,600 Lady Slipper Gold division in race 3 from post 2 for trainer Kevin MacLean and owner Reg MacPherson of Stratford.

Irish Ray (Muscle Through It) continues his quest to remain undefeated from post 3 in his $12,500 Lady Slipper two-year-old trot colt division in race 4. Campbell trains and drives the winner of all eight of his starts for owner Three Wisemen Stable of Kingston.

Dreamfair Zenfire (Sunfire Blue Chip) is the favourite in the $5,230 Atlantic Aged Pacing Mares division in race 11 for trainer-driver Campbell.

For more information or to tune into the worldwide broadcast go to Redshores.ca. Wager online at HPIBet.com.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Nicholas Oakes, for Red Shores