One of the hottest horses on the grounds will go head-to-head with one looking for redemption in the Boxing Day feature at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
The 15-dash Saturday afternoon Boxing Day program will get underway at 12:30 p.m. with the $2,250 Preferred 2 feature lining up in race 14. Idealic Life rides a two-race win streak into the race from post two with Corey MacPherson in the bike. The 11-year-old son of Western Ideal has been undefeated since being claimed for $6,000 on Dec. 5, by owners Perry, Luke and Robin Burke and Kent Livingston and being placed in the care of trainer Trevor Hicken. A real threat in the race lies in post five entry Forever Paradise, who gets regular driver Marc Campbell back in the bike for trainer Kevin MacLean after making a break his last start and finishing sixth -- only the third time all year that Forever Paradise failed to get a cheque.
Race analyst Les MacIsaac views the break as uncharacteristic and puts his faith in Forever Paradise to return to his winning ways.
“He had an untimely break at the start last week, but those things can happen to the best of them, which he is one of,” MacIsaac said. “Be prepared for him to redeem himself today.”
Other entries in the field of eight include Lucky Encounter (Walter Cheverie), Tempo Seelster (Vincent Poulton), Likely To Win (Ron Matheson), Cambest Kisser (Jason Hughes), Painted Desert (Mark Bradley) and Smiley Bayama (Ron Gass).
A field of seven Open pacing mares duke it out in race nine on the program for a $2,350 purse. The last three weeks have yielded three different winners in this event with them being handed posts five, six and seven in this week’s renewal. Sam (post seven) captured the event last week for trainer/driver Jason Hughes, to give the driver his one race advantage over foe Campbell in the driving standings. Post six starter Best Risque was a winner in here on Dec. 5 and gets the services of Corey MacPherson while Sendmeasign (post five) was the Dec. 12 winner with Kenny Arsenault in the bike.
Also in the field is CL La Rousse (Poulton), Blazing By (Brian Andrew), Outrageous Spirit (Gordie Hennessey) and Whitesand Artist (Gary Chappell).
The top trotters on the East Coast put their noses on the gate in race four for a $1,950 pot. Holy Molie Maggie has post three for driver Chappell and owner/trainer Jeff Holmes and gets the faith of race secretary Gerard Smith as the morning line favourite. Caliban Hanover rides a two-race win streak in the Open Trot, but is saddled with post six for driver Cheverie, trainer Gass and owner Wendell MacDonald.
With only two cards left in the calendar year, Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve, Hughes holds a one-race lead over Campbell in the driving standings as they sit at 109 to 108, respectively. Campbell has 10 drives on the Boxing Day card while Hughes will participate in 12 races.
To view Saturday's harness racing entries, click on the following link: Saturday Entries - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(With files from Red Shores)