Gold Cup and Saucer trials start Saturday

CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – One of the most prestigious races in Canadian Harness Racing will have the first six entrants decided in a pair of Gold Cup and Saucer Trials Saturday (Aug. 12) evening at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park

Saturday will feature one of the greatest cards ever fielded at Red Shores Charlottetown, with the mega-event starting at a special 4 P.M. post time with 15-dashes to go behind the gate.

The last two races of the program are $12,500 Gold Cup and Saucer trials with the top three from each dash advancing to the Aug, 19, $100,000 Gold Cup and Saucer final, presented by the Atlantic Lottery Corporation.

Red Shores Summerside track record holder Roll Em (Time To Roll) has rail control in Trial 1 for trainer-driver Marc Campbell and local owners Brady Doyle, Savage Stable, Brent Campbell and Ryan MacLeod. The five-year-old has made six trips to the winner’s circle since coming to P.E.I. this season and will have his toughest test to date against a stacked field of pacers.

Funatthebeach N (Somebeachsomewhere), a former winner of the Battle Of Lake Erie Invitational in Ohio, is installed as the morning line favourite from post 4 in Trial 1 with Scott Young picking up the drive for trainer Jeff Gillis. The nine-year-old has already won in 1:50.1 over the half-mile oval at Yonkers Raceway in New York this season.

Also in Trial 1 are Twin B Tuffenuff (Rock N Roll Heaven, To be driven by Gilles Barrieau), Rockabilly Rebel N (A Rocknroll Dance, David Dowling), Bonus Round (Santanna Blue Chip, Dave Kelly Jr.) and Livinthebeachlife (Somebeachsomewhere, Jody Jamieson).

Gillis trainee Covered Bridge (American Ideal) is the top selection in Trial 2 with Young in the seat for owner Mark Ford of Campbell Hall, N.Y. The pacer has strung together 11-victories from 23 starts in 2023 while earning over $368,000 in purses. The 36-time winner was a winner in 1:49.4 earlier this season at Yonkers.

American History (American Ideal), a preferred pacer at Woodbine Mohawk Park in Ontario, leaves from post 2 for his Island debut for trainer MacKenzie Spence and owner Patrick Hill of Fredericton, N.B. Dale Spence is back in the seat after winning the Kelti Burnett Memorial at Connell Park in Woodstock, N.B., on Aug. 4 in 1:55.1 over an off-track.

Trial 2 also includes YS Mathis (Sportswriter, Campbell), Bayfield Beach (Somebeachsomewhere, Jamieson), Bee Two Bee (Jason Hughes) and Repeal Or Replace (So Surreal, Myles Heffernan Sr.).

The program also features the Atlantic Sires Stakes for three-year-old pacing fillies, the Colonel Dan Trot as part of the Island Trot Challenge presented by Fox Group, as well as the Birthplace Of Confederation Open Pacing Mares series, in honour of Don & Ian Smith.

For more information, click here.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Nicholas Oakes, for Red Shores