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The International Harness Racing community and those visiting Prince Edward Island for the first time were literally blown away by the atmosphere and the huge, enthusiastic crowds for both the World Driving Championships and the Gold Cup and Saucer. Almost all the representatives from the visiting countries were in envy of Prince Edward Island horsemen by the wholehearted support from the provincial governments (s) which has turned Prince Edward Island into the mecca of harness racing in Canada.
PEI hosted the World Trotting Conference during Old Home Week and representatives from the 17 participating countries met to share views on topics of importance to the world harness racing community. The many workshops and meetings that were held using the crowded Old Home Week of racing as a background and it couldn't have made for a more enjoyable 10 days here in this harness racing stronghold.
The 5th and final leg of the World Trotting championships went on Friday night and when the dust had settled PEI's James MacDonald, representing Canada, emerged as the 2017 World Champion Driver having accumulated the most points in the five city series featuring the top drivers from around the world. James was the only driver to have won at least one win in the four previous World Drivers Championship stops but even though he did not win here, he had built up a substantial lead to clinch the title. James not only received the top prize of $25,000 but earned the right to represent Canada at the World Driving Championships in Sweden in 2019.
The country representatives and the participating drivers were in awe of the wonderful facilities here and of the passionate crowds which some estimated as high as 15,000 for Friday night and almost as many that arrived for the Gold Cup and Saucer Race despite persistent rains and winds that drenched many from 3:00 in the afternoon until race time.
Anything Can Happen in a Horse Race
Shadow Place Upsets in Cup and Saucer
The old adage that anything can happen in a horse race surfaced Saturday night at rain drenched Red Shores Charlottetown, aka the CDP, for the 58th running of the prestigious Gold Cup and Saucer.
Shadow Place, co-owned by Rob Fellows of Niagara Falls and Carl Stafford of Conception Bay, Newfoundland was not considered a prime contender especially since the ease with which Always At My Place dispatched of his rivals with that open lengths 1:51:1 score in his Trial victory. His elimination win was under ideal conditions and Saturday's night's Gold Cup and Saucer was raced in a downpour over a very sloppy track, conditions where bettors can usually toss away the form charts.
In this one, Marc Campbell hustled Almost At My Place right to the front in the sloppy track with Sapphire City (Anthony MacDonald) a tight 2nd past a sizzling opening quarter of 27:1 with the others gapped out.
Half-way up the backstretch, the rain and the track conditions appeared to be taking a toll on the front end and in addition Sapphire City was obviously having health issues and stalled badly. At the top of the stretch, Arque Hanover (Marcus Miller) and Shadow Place raced into conteention and one could sense that the heavy favourite was in trouble. Owned by Rob Fellows of Ontario and Carl Stafford of Newfoundland, Shadow Place stormed down the stretch to pass Always At My Place in deep stretch for the one length 1:53.2 victory.
The victory was the 4th Gold Cup and Saucer score for Gilles Barrieau and the win also clinched the Francis McIsaac Driving Award as the top driver during Old Home Week, an award which Francis held 10 previous times. Louis-Philippe Roy won four times on the Gold Cup and Saucer card to win the Chucker's Trophy Award as the top percentage driver for the week.
PEI Solidifies Harness Racing International Reputation
PEI Harness racing fans and the legions that travel here every year for the Old Home Week racing and the Gold Cup and Saucer made a lasting impression on the International harness racing community. Those here for the World Trotting Conference and for the World Driving championships were literally shocked by the enthusiastic crowds and by the City itself.
It would not surprise me that if one day perhaps within a decade that the World Trotting Conference and the World Driving Championships returns again to this province, that's the kind of impression this little Island made on the International stage. It could happen !
By Fred MacDonald
