Kelti Burnett Memorial heads Woodstock card

Harness racing is returning to Connell Park Raceway in Woodstock, New Brunswick this Friday evening (Aug. 5) as part of the Old Home Week festivities in the picturesque region.

Friday night’s program is stacked with some great races, including the New Brunswick Breeders stakes for two-year-old fillies and colts & geldings, an Open Trot and the Kelti Burnett Memorial pace as the premier event.

Time To Dance Favoured in Burnett Memorial Pace

Marc Campbell will look for two straight wins with the free-for-all stand-out, Time To Dance as he has drawn post-two in the Kelti Burnett Memorial pace sponsored by Corey Ford in Woodstock.

After a dominating 2021 season in the Maritimes, the horse has come back strong for owners Brent Campbell & Matthew McDonald of P.E.I. He is fresh off a win in the Lindsay Cup at Truro Raceway, one his best efforts this season.

He will have a real threat here with all the horses capable of winning with a good trip. Free-legged pacer Beachin Lindy (Somebeachsomewhere), owned, trained and driven by Stephen Charlton was just a quarter-length back to Time To Dance in the Lindsay Cup.

Beachin Lindy has post-one to work with. Always B Sweet (Always B Miki) will be looking for a strong performance from post-three. He came out of the gate quickly this season for owners Kevin Harvey, Rudge Racing and the Hardy Mills stables.

It’s going to be interesting early as Always B Sweet loves to leave and has catch-driver John Davidson on board for his Woodstock appearance. He has a speedy 1:50.1 lifetime mark.

American Risk (American Ideal) will tangle with the Maritimes best on Friday night for trainer George Rennison and the Risky Bizz Group of Truro, N.S. He comes off one of his best starts last week as he was just one-length back of Time To Dance in the Lindsay Cup, pacing his mile in 1:52. Dale Spence will drive the pacer from post-four.

Rounding out the Kelti Burnett Memorial is the only New Brunswick owned pacer as Blood Money (Sweet Lou), and Dr. Mitch Downey will bust the gate from post-five. Blood Money is back in the barn of trainer Ellen Stevenson and has competed in a couple of free-for-all events in the Maritimes.

He sports a lifetime best of 1:50 over a five-eighth mile track. That makes him the fastest winning horse on Friday’s main event.

It’s certainly been a long time since New Brunswick has hosted an Open Trot, but that’s another highlight of Friday night’s card.

Longtime harness racing trainer-driver Ivan Davies has brought two horses in from Plainridge, MA and have drawn the two best positions in the four-horse trot.

In fact, the open trot is named in honour of John. H. Davies who was longtime horseman in Woodstock, and the father of both Ivan & Owen Davies who campaigned horses in New Brunswick for years.

Owen Davies owns the 4-1 choice, Gone Madigan (Noble Venture) for catch-driver Dale Spence, who has five starts this season, and has a mile in 1:57.2 in his recent starts at Plainridge. He sports a record of 1:59.1.

Ivan Davies will drive Marauder Seelster (Muscle Mass) from post-two in the $ 3000 trot. Shirley Michaud owns him. He trotted his last mile in 1:56.3 over the five-eighths mile track, also at Plainridge.

Leaving three is the trotting newcomer to the N.B racing scene, Hallofaride (Angus Hall). He has taken on the pacers in most of his races but took a new record of 1:59.2 over Red Shores last week for John Davidson over a trot class. He has won five of his eight races this year, not missing the board.

Janice Hubbard owns the handsome gelding, who will be taking on one of the most premier trotters that P.E.I has ever seen in the form of Freddie (Majestic Son) and Marc Campbell who has drawn post-four.

Speaking of Freddie, he has won an astounding seventy-eight wins in his career and will have Marc Campbell on board for owners the Three Wisemen Stable. He has a win over Red Shores this season in 1:58.3.

Last season he was twenty-two of twenty-five in the top-three and is four for eight on the year in 2022 hitting the board. He will be starting in his 190th race of his career.

N.B Breeders Stakes are just part of the outstanding card on Friday night at Woodstock. Horse Racing New Brunswick presents two divisions, one for two-year-old fillies, and one for colts and geldings.

Both divisions will carry a purse of $6,200 and the New Brunswick Stakes are now in its second season.

In the first division, Brookdale Seb (Shadow Play) is the one to beat for the Polley’s of Amherst, Nova Scotia. He’s the only one in the race that has registered a win and the most experienced with four races under his belt.

His lifetime mark of 1:58.2 was taken over the speedy Truro Raceway and he is averaging just shy of $ 1000 per start. He was third last time out to Tobins Profit who is the colt to beat so far in the two-year-old ranks.

New Shooter, a son of All Bets Are Off makes his second start of his freshman campaign and comes off a third-place effort in stake action this past Sunday at Summerside Raceway. Marc Campbell, no stranger to stakes success, will look to upset the top choice. He paced his first lifetime start in 2:03.2.

Rounding out the colts is the first-time starter Jedi Jim (Source Of Pride) who is owned by Kevin Price and is trained by Stefan DeCourcey and driven by Colin DeCourcey. He was out for his qualifier last week in Saint John.

In the filly division of the N.B Breeders, this one is a bit more of a wide-open race on paper. It carries a purse of $ 6200, and owner-trainer Janice Hubbard will send out the favourite with Nanny Bernice (Artspeak).

In just three starts, the filly has one win in a maiden victory at Exhibition Park for Wayne Hubbard. This week she has John Davidson in the bike, and she’s earned $ 4003 this season.

She was second in her first N.B Breeders stake and will be looking for another good effort. Her toughest test is between the two inside entries.

Post advantage goes to Silent Movie Star (Stonebridge Terror) for owners Jennifer Ritchie and Wayne Watson who handles the driving and training duties. She is three for three getting money in her career and comes off a 2:03.2 individual effort this past Sunday at Summerside.

Mark Taylor, Stephen Trites, Dean McLaughlin & Brad McLaughlin own the third entry, Huggies Spirit (Stonebridge Terror). Charlie Miles trains the filly who was out for her first qualifier last week. Miles is well-known for his development of the younger horses so watch out for this one.

This and much more as part of an eight-dash program that starts at 6:30 P.M. Wagering available on-track only.

Horse Racing New Brunswick sends out a huge thank-you to everyone involved in putting this card together, including it’s sponsors, Corey Ford, Woodstock First Nation, Culbert Farms, Fire Ready Extinguisher, Graystone Brewing and family of the late Clayton and Shirley Dickenson and many volunteers.

For complete entries, click here.

by Scott Waddell, for Horse Racing New Brunswick