It's not very often that entrants in the Gold Cup and Saucer stick around P.E.I. after the race is over, but when the Founders Cup, carrying a purse of $25,000, is only 10 days later, why not stick around?
That was the mindset of the connections for the runner-up in the 55th running of the Sobey's Gold Cup and Saucer. Wazzup Wazzup was only beat a neck, pacing his own mile in track record time, 1:50.4, in the final and he will be back Tuesday night looking to get the red soil monkey off of his back.
The first ever Founders Cup will be race 11 Tuesday night as part of a special National Driving Championship card at Red Shores' Charlottetown. First race post time is 7 p.m.
Wazzup Wazzup has drawn into post six for trainer Corey Johnson. The six-year-old son of Life Sign is owned by the Rolling Hills Racing Stables of Uxbridge, Ont. Tuesday night he will gain the services of the Maritimes' top driver and NDC participant, Marc Campbell. A win would put 'Wazzup' over the $100,000 mark for earnings in the 2014 season. He picked up a lifetime mark of 1:49 just three starts ago before landing on P.E.I. for the Gold Cup and Saucer trial.
Millionaire pacer Up The Credit, winner of the James 'Roach' MacGregor Memorial on Friday night of Old Home Week, will look to knock off the runner-up in the Gold Cup and Saucer. A winner of over $1.3 million in career earnings, the six-year-old Western Terror horse has drawn into post three for trainer Carl Jamieson, who co-owns along with Thomas Kyron and Joanne Morrison. Jody Jamieson, who is in town for the NDC, will do the driving. The trio of Jody, Carl and Up The Credit have been a dynamic one in the past winning the $1.5 million North American Cup in 2011.
Mach Wheel was a runner-up to Up The Credit in the MacGregor Memorial for driver Paul MacKenzie. He has since been purchased by Roy Springett, Robert Sitemen, William Shearer and Donald Smith, all of Nova Scotia. Darren Crowe now handles the driving and training duties on the son of Mach Three. He has over $243,000 made in his career and a lifetime mark of 1:50.3. He has drawn the outside post seven.
A winner of this year's Governor's Plate in track record fashion of 1:53 at Red Shores Summerside, D Gs Camme moves into post four, fresh off of a 1:52.2 victory on Gold Cup night in the final of the Premier's Pace. A winner of four in a row, the four-year-old son of Blissfull Hall will look to continue his streak for the ownership group of Hal and Quentin Bevan, Tom Clark and Ronnie Matheson. Gilles Barrieau will make the trek from Saint John, N.B. to handle the driving duties for trainer Jackie Matheson.
The coveted rail position goes to All Turain as he returns to the Free-For-All ranks off a 1:54.2 qualifier at Red Shores' Summerside. Mike Stevenson will handle the driving duties for trainer Wade Sorrie. A winner in 1:52.2 last year at Charlottetown, the five-year-old Tell All gelding is owned by Lee Hicken and Perry Burke. Ultimate Luck has drawn post two for the Ultimate Stable. Terry Gallant will drive for trainer Sifroi Melanson.
Astor, the third entrant in the field who raced in the MacGregor Memorial, has drawn post five for trainer/driver Jason Hughes. He is owned by the powerful Foxyhall Racing group of Wallace, N.S.
The 12th race on the card is the $5,000 Builders Cup. The race will recognize the local contribution by two horsemen to the sport of harness racing on P.E.I. Those two horsemen are Doug Hill of Stratford, P.E.I. and Eric Johnston of Summerside, P.E.I.
Modern Xhibit, in line to Jamieson, has been listed as the morning line choice from post three. The Jonah Moase trainee was a winner in this year's Walter Dale Memorial in Fredericton, N.B. and also finished fourth in the Governor's Plate.
The field also includes, Narragansett, Red Magician, Blissfull Bro, Cabo Pan Lucas, Machinthesand, Red Rock and Windemere Express.
To view Tuesday's harness racing entries, click on the following link: Tuesday Entries - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(With files from Red Shores)