Gold Cup & Saucer hopefuls at Red Shores

CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – The Guardian Gold Cup and Saucer trials are just around the corner and a field laden with prospective harness racing contenders will face off in the Saturday evening preferred pace at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.

The city track will host a 13-dash card on Saturday at 6 P.M., with perhaps the toughest $3,400 race in the history of Canadian horse racing lining up in the race 12 feature.

Truro track record holder Time To Dance (A Rocknroll Dance) will look for his sixth straight win in that preferred class with Adam Merner picking up the catch driving assignment for trainer and regular driver Marc Campbell, who will be in Cape Breton for stakes action on Saturday, and owners Brent Campbell and Matt McDonald.

The defending Gold Cup and Saucer champion will leave from post 7 on Saturday against an incredibly talented group of foes.

Hitman Hill joins the Kenny Arsenault stable with post 5 on Saturday with the trainer in the bike for the American Ideal pacer’s first Atlantic start since relocating from Yonkers Raceway. A winner of $516,000 lifetime, Hitman Hill was a winner his last start at Yonkers in 1:54.1.

Outkast Blue Chip has post 4 with Ken Murphy in the bike for trainer Trevor Hicken. The $300,000 winner was victorious his last start at Harrah’s Philadelphia in 1:53.1. The richest Atlantic bred pacer of all-time, The Rev, has post 3 for his 2021 Atlantic debut for trainer-driver Gilles Barrieau as he looks to add to his 46 lifetime wins and $635,582 in prize money.

Peter MacPhee thinks the win streak will continue for Time To Dance as he places him in the win position of the Post Time Picks.

“Time To Dance has been on top of his game in 2021 and the last time we saw him was setting a track record over Truro in 1:51.3. He draws post seven and gets a new pilot, but we think they make it six in a row.”

Also in the power packed field are Racemup (To be driven by Walter Cheverie), Rose Run Quest (Mark Bradley), Rock Lights (Jason Hughes) and Moonwriter (David Dowling).

Trot mares tangle at Summerside

SUMMERSIDE, PE – The fastest trot mare in the history of Atlantic Canadian harness racing will make her way to Red Shores at the Summerside Raceway on Sunday afternoon for the first leg of the Island Oceans Trot Classic, presented by JD Marine and Diving Inc.

Carded as race 9 of the 13-dash afternoon card starting off at 1 P.M., the trot mare division will see five entrants vying for the top prize.

Atlantic record holder Cheeky Little Minx has rail control in the $4,800 class with Kenny Arsenault in the bike for trainer Gilles Barrieau and owners Wayne MacRae and Howmac Farms Ltd. Post 2 belongs to Daisy River (To be driven by Paul Lanigan) for owner-trainer William Lanigan of Montague.

The former Charlottetown track record holder was second to Cheeky Little Minx in the first leg of the series on July 24. Sailor Blue has post 3 with Ken Murphy aboard for trainer Cindy MacDonald, while Windemere Ally leaves from post 4 for trainer-driver Brian MacPhee.

Maritime Breeders Champion Go With Her lands on post 5 for trainer Kuri White with Walter Cheverie getting the catch driving call on Sunday.

The Backstretch Beat in Sunday’s card likes Cheeky Little Minx to deliver off the rail.

“Cheeky Little Minx’s flawless July 24 performance in Charlottetown was something else to see. With her back in with the girls and drawing the rail she has to be treated as the one to beat.”

The featured $2,800 pace lines up in race 12 with Bugsy Maguire pegged as the one to beat from post 5 with Norris Rogers up on the Wade Sorrie trainee for owner Walter Simmons of Summerside.

The pacer was a winner in 1:54.1 his last start in Charlottetown. His main contenders are Pictonian Storm (Murphy) and Flash In The Pang (Cheverie).

Go to Redshores.ca for race programs, race dates, live video and more or watch online on the Red Shores Youtube channel. Onsite wagering is available starting at 12 P.M. on race day at Red Shores locations.

by Nicholas Oakes, for Red Shores