Former Gold Cup and Saucer champ returns to P.E.I.

SUMMERSIDE, PEI – The last time Smooth Lou (Sweet Lou) was on red soil he was being cheered by over 15,000 fans when he captured the 2021 Gold Cup and Saucer Final and now, he makes his Island return for the Tuesday evening (July 30) harness racing feature at Red Shores at the Summerside Raceway.

The western oval has a 13-dash Tuesday evening presentation starting at 6 P.M. with the $2,950 top event slated as race 12.

Corey MacPherson now trains and drives the eight-year-old gelding Smooth Lou for owner Triple S Equine of Newton, Ont. The winner of 27 races and $243,070 is a seven-time winner in 2024 including a 1:52.1 victory over the half-mile surface at Flamboro Downs in Dundas, Ont. His latest Central Canada start was July 19 where he finished second in a qualifier while timed in 1:55.4 at Kawartha Downs in Peterborough, Ont.

Woodmere Ideal Art is the morning line favourite in the top class with post 5 for trainer Sifroi Melanson and catch driver Jason Hughes. The Articulator nine-year-old now sits at 40 lifetime wins.

Silver Spirit (To be driven by Devon Wallace) has rail control while Frontier Cruise (Brady Sweet) ships in from New Brunswick and has post 2.

Veteran pacer Pictonian Storm (Damian MacLellan) has competed in the Summerside feature dozens of times in his career and has post 3 Tuesday. Sauble Attack (Ken Murphy) completes the field with post 4.

The Backstretch Beat places Smooth Lou on top.

“The former Gold Cup and Saucer champion ships in from the Ontario circuit where he already won in 1:52.1 over a half-mile track this season. He doesn’t just deserve respect, he demands it. MacPherson will have him in play and we can’t put him anywhere but on top.”

The program also has a pair of horses looking to extend some young win streaks.

Jazzville (MacPherson) leaves from post 1 in race 2 as she is undefeated in two-straight P.E.I. starts for trainer Blaine McKenna and owner Ron MacLean of Fairview.

Tobins Future (MacPherson) has been victorious in her last two starts from the Jason Biggar barn and leaves from post 3 in race 10 of the program. Biggar co-owns the daughter of Arthur Blue Chip with Robyn Wilson of Miscouche.

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by Nicholas Oakes, for Red Shores