At 10-years-old, veteran free-legged pacer Blu Meadow Willie has put together one of his best seasons to date. He'll head into the Saturday night feature at Red Shores' Charlottetown Driving Park looking to extend his win streak to three.
It's been a banner year for 'Willie,' as earlier this season on his own stomping grounds at Red Shores' Summerside Raceway he picked up his 50th lifetime victory. On that very same day, the lifetime winner of just shy of $80,000 of Maritime money picked up a brand new speed badge of 1:55.4. He finished second in his next outing and has since picked up two straight victories.
Owned by Bob and Brenda MacInnis of Summerside, Blu Meadow Willie, a son of Drop Off, has seemed to have found new life with driver Walter Cheverie. Since June 30, 2013, Cheverie has driven Willie 13 times, returning him back to the winner’s circle nine times and only missing the top two twice. This season, the duo has not missed the top two once, including five of his six victories. Bob MacInnis does the training from Post 3.
He will have to face against Maritime free-for-all pacer Red Rock on Saturday night. Electing not to make the trek to Fredericton for the Jennie and Joe Chippin, the four-year-old son of The Panderosa has drawn Post 6 for owners Donald, Bryan and Steven MacRae along with Melissa Trainor. The third-place finisher in this year’s Governor's Plate is trained and driven by Jason Hughes. Another ‘rock,’ Shock The Rock, will also look to extend his win streak to three. He is a back-to-back winner in 1:56 and change for driver Corey MacPherson. Blair Macleod trains for his daughter, Bethany. He has drawn the outside Post 7.
The back-up trotters are in town Saturday night in Race 6. J K Queen (Post 2) and Cheveire will look to double up after getting up in the final strides to win by a nose in 2:02.3. Co-owned by Norman Clarey and trainer Joe Smallwood, she will look to price the field when she makes her way in behind the Metro Building Supplies starting gate for a claiming price of $4,800. J K Queen will have to do battle with Abundaspin again this week. The 14-year-old laid down all the fractions last week before finishing second to J K Queen. The winner of 77 races lifetime has drawn the outside Post 7 for trainer - driver Harold Shepherd and owner Mikaela Lustic.
The annual Billings Driving Challenge is in town on Saturday night at the CDP. Six drivers from around North America, plus two Maritime drivers in Hillard Graves and Todd Walsh, will line up behind the gate in Race 5 and 7.
The 13-dash card gets underway at 6 p.m.
To view the harness racing entries for Saturday at the CDP, click the following link: Saturday Entries – Charlottetown Driving Park.
Say It Again Sam Looks To Return To Winning Ways
After rhyming off 10 straight victories on red dirt, Say It Again Sam will look to get back on the winning track after suffering two consecutive losses. He will face five other rivals in the featured Race 9 at Red Shores' Summerside on Sunday.
The three-year-old Well Said gelding made the move to the Jason Hughes stable in May. Working his way up the class ladder, he picked up 10 consecutive victories before falling to defeat during Old Home Week. Now racing with older horses, Say It Again Sam will look to get back on track. Owned by Foxyhall Racing, Summerside, he has drawn Post 6.
If he wants to get back to the winner’s circle, he will have to fight off last week’s winner, Carrera Angel, from Post 5. Converting off a perfect pocket ride last week, Carrera Angel made it a tight finish winning by a quarter of a length in 1:57.2 for owner, trainer and driver Rocky Schurman. The field lines up with Lucky Encounter (Post 1), Blissful Bro (Post 2), Van Zant (Post 3) and Cambest Kisser (Post 4).
Race 7 will see eight line up behind the gate to contest for the Peter Coughlin Memorial. Acton O So Royal has been installed as the morning line choice from Post 2. Owned and trained by Wayne Pike, the five-year-old Royal Mattjesty stallion was a second-place finisher in his first start off of a qualifier. Veteran Brian MacPhee will do the driving.
Sunday's first-race post time is 1 p.m. The card will play host to the Billings Driver Challenge as well. The eight drivers will contest Race 3 and 5.
To view the harness racing entries for Sunday at Summerside, click the following link: Sunday Entries – Summerside Raceway.
(Red Shores)