It is a race fit to be a Maritime free-for-all. The Saturday afternoon feature at Red Shores’ Charlottetown Driving Park is loaded with firepower.
First-race post time for the 15-dash card is 1 p.m. The $2,300 feature event has been carded as Race 14.
Carnivore is the morning line choice in the race. He is currently riding a two-race win streak for trainer Marvyn Webster and owner Valleygrove Farm of Kensington. Marc Campbell has picked up the drive from regular pilot Kenny Arsenault, who must drive his own trainee, Cheyenne Ford, in the event.
Carnivore will start from Post 6 in the nine-horse field. Top pacers Astor (to be driven by Jason Hughes) and All Turain (Mike Stevenson) will start from Post 7 and 8, respectively. All three horses like to control the front end, but have tough posts to contend with, so look for a hotly-contested opening quarter.
The race also includes The Big Bite (Corey MacPherson), Van Zant (Ron Matheson), Mcjestic (Mike McGuigan), Machinthesand (Ken Murphy) and Rash B Havior (Walter Cheverie) from the trailing Post 9.
The afternoon trot class will line up for Race 3. The $1,150 event sees Frill Seeker favoured early from Post 2 for trainer-driver Arsenault and owners Ebbsfleet Stables of Ontario. The six-year-old Angus Hall trotter will face eight foes, including Majian Chester (Jim Ripley) and Money Show (Brian Andrew).
The ‘back-up pace’ will line up for Race 9. Forever Paradise is the morning line choice from Post 6 for driver Campbell, trainer Kevin Maclean and owner Reg MacPherson of Stratford. The four-year-old son of Western Paradise, who just went over $100,000 in lifetime earnings his last start, boasts 24 top-three finishes from 37 starts in 2014. The pacer was playing bridesmaid to Carnivore in his last two starts, but with that foe moving to the top class, the road may be open to Forever Paradise this week. His top opposition includes Beckenbauer (Hughes) from Post 9 and Oakrock Almighty (Gordie Hennessey) from Post 7.
Race 11 will feature Stonebridge Wish, who is riding a five-race win streak for trainer Trevor Hicken and owners Robin Burke of Ten Mile House, P.E.I., and Perry Burke of Quebec. Stevenson will drive the 11-year-old son of Camluck from Post 4 in the $4,000 claiming event.
Campbell leads the tight driver’s race over Hughes with 115 wins in Charlottetown in 2014 compared to 113 for Hughes.
To view the harness racing entries for Saturday at the CDP, click the following link: Saturday Entries – Charlottetown Driving Park.
(With files from Red Shores)