Forever Paradise is stamping himself as the king of the Thursday night top class at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
First race post time is 7 p.m. for the 12-dash card with Forever Paradise leading the way in a $2,000 class from post one for driver Marc Campbell, trainer Kevin MacLean and owner Reg MacPherson of Stratford, P.E.I. The four-year-old son of Western Paradise is riding a two-race win streak while wearing a $13,050 claiming tag to keep him in the same class.
His competition is a little different this week though, as he encounters a pair of newcomers to the Island racing wars. SOS Grappa is a new acquisition by trainer/driver Jason Hughes and owner Robi Hughes of Stratford, and will start from post three in the six-horse field. The Shanghai Phil four-year-old was racing at Trois Rivieres in Quebec, where he showed some miles in 1:56 and change. The Big Bite has Mike Stevenson in the bike from post four for trainer Thane Arsenault and new Island owners Jack Arsenault, Ed Blaisdell and Donna McIver as well as Deborah Wilson of Nova Scotia. The free-legged pacer had been competitive as a $8,000 claimer on the Woodbine Entertainment Group Circuit in Ontario.
To add to the fray are tough overnight horses Artners In Crime (Ron Matheson), I D K (Vincent Poulton) and Machinthesand (Mark Bradley).
The evening trot class lines up in race three for a $1,150 purse with Howmacs Pride being pegged as the one to beat from post six in the eight-horse field. Campbell trains and drives the mare for owners Wade Peconi of Stanchel, P.E.I. and Howmac Farms Ltd. of North Wiltshire, P.E.I. The Amigo Hall four-year-old will have to fight off challenges from Money Show (Ron Gass), Honeymoonisover (Brian Andrew) and Tymal Tyme (Brian MacPhee).
The back-up pace will serve as the evening finale in race 12 with Hot Shot Dragon the morning line choice for driver Mark Bradley, co-owner and trainer Michael Gallant and co-owner Micheal Hughes, all of Charlottetown. Other top entries include Beckenbauer (Hughes) and Bowyer Hanover (Walter Cheverie).
To view Thursday's harness racing entries, click on the following link: Thursday Entries - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(Red Shores)