A field of six will line up behind the gate for the $20,000 James Roach MacGregor Memorial Pace, the race 12 featured finale, on Friday night at Red Shores Charlottetown.
The field features four Gold Cup and Saucer trial starters that didn't qualify for the $75,000 final and two others.
The millionaire pacer Up The Credit has drawn into post two for trainer/driver Carl Jamieson. The six-year-old Western Terror stallion finished fifth in his trial, pacing his mile in 1:53.1 for Ryan Ellis. The former winner of the $1.5 million North American Cup as a three-year-old is owned by Jamieson, Thomas Kyron and Joanne Morrison.
Mach Wheel has drawn the coveted rail as he takes his stab at the lion's share of the $20,000 purse. He was also a fifth place finisher in his Gold Cup and Saucer trial, pacing his own mile in 1:53 for owner/trainer Shane Arsenault. He was a winner two starts back at Grand River Raceway in 1:54.2. Island native Paul Mackenzie will do the driving.
The brother duo of trainer Patrick Shepherd and driver Robert Shepherd will send out Duke Did It from post four. He was a disappointing sixth in his trial (his win streak was halted at four), which came one start after setting the track record at Truro Raceway in 1:53.2. Owned by Ivan Petersheim, the nine-year-old son of Bettors Delight will look to regain form on Friday night.
The only Maritime owned horse in this year's Gold Cup and Saucer trials, Astor, has drawn post five in the compact field of six. He finished sixth in his trial for Foxyhall Racing of Wallace, N.S. Jason Hughes does the training and driving. One of the stars on the Maritime Free-For-All scene, Astor will look to show his Ontario invaders what P.E.I. is all about. Blissfull Bro (post three) and Windfall Blue Chip (post six) round out the field for the MacGregor Memorial.
The top three-year-old fillies the Maritimes have to offer will be on display Friday night in two Gold divisions of the Lady Slipper.
Last year's top filly looks to be regaining her form heading into her $12,700 Gold divisions. Saulsbrook Alana has drawn into post six in race nine. The daughter of Western Paradise has back-to-back 1:56 and change victories for owner Reg MacPherson and trainer Kevin Maclean. The winner of just shy of $80,000 lifetime will get the services of Marc Campbell.
Her bridesmaid last week, Absolootly Hot draws into post three for the Dooley Boys Racing Stable and Scott Hubbard. She paced her mile in 1:56.4 beaten only a length and a quarter by Saulsbrook Alana. The daughter of Coasttocoast Yankee is trained by Earl Watts. Kenny Arsenault will do the driving for the second straight start. I C Anastro, Sea Anna Win, Pictonian Sareta, Babies Gigolo, Libertys Gig and Dusty Lane Dora round out the full field of eight.
The 2014 Maritime Breeders champion Lovineveryminute will look to dethrone the winner of four-in-a-row Elm Grove Inarush. Lovineveryminute draws into post five for the River Valley Management, Windemere Farms and Lana Murphy. She has just shy of $60,000 in lifetime earnings. Earl Watts does the training while Todd Trites will handle the driving.
Elm Grove Inarush will look to extend her win streak to five from post three. Her last two victories have come in a career-best 1:55.3 for driver Mark Bradley. The daughter of Coasttocoast Yankee is owned by Blaine Thibeau, trainer Eddy Doucette, Gordon Macleod and Grant Mann. Mackenzie will handle the driving duties as he looks to take the late double with her and Mach Wheel. Brickyard Val, Fleurje, Briannas Angel, Bettim Jenny, Outrageous Spirit and Sail Through round out the field.
The P.E.I Trotting Series Final, sponsored by the PEIHRIA, will be held as race seven for a purse of $10,700. Eight of the best trotters the Maritimes have to offer will compete for the largest purse they will race for this season.
Zip The Lip has drawn the rail position for owner Orville Willis and Donald Sweet. Fresh off of a victory in the second leg, the Sweet trainee will get the Brian MacPhee in the bike.
The aged veteran of the field, the 14-year-old Abundaspin, will leave from post three as the richest starter in the field with over $477,000 in lifetime earnings. The Harold Shepherd trainee will get son Robert in the bike.
Frill Seeker has drawn post four, after a break, a win, a break and a win since coming to P.E.I. His owners, the Ebbslfeet Stables, will hope the streak stays intact for this week. Kenny Arsenault does the training and the driving. Beer Maggs, Pleasure Girls, Lyrical Lindy, Majian Dillon and Mopey Corey round out the field.
First race post time is 7 p.m.
To view Saturday's harness racing entries, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(With files from Red Shores)