By Nicholas Oakes For Red Shores
CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – A 26-dash day of World Class Harness Racing is set for Saturday at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
The capital oval has two programs to close out Old Home Week 2024, starting with a 12-dash card at 12 P.M.
Afternoon Card
The afternoon program features the $15,000 P.E.I. Harness Racing Industry Association Pace in race 12 featuring the seventh, eighth and ninth place finishers from the three Gold Cup and Saucer trials.
Southwind Sambucca is favoured from post 7 for driver David Dowling and trainer Victor Puddy. The American Ideal four-year-old was a winner in 1:50.4 at Woodbine Mohawk Park earlier this season. Other top entries include Fern Hill General (To be driven by Brodie MacPhee) and Roll Em (Marc Campbell).
The afternoon card also has $10,650 Joe O’Brien Grassroots divisions for three-year-old pacing colts in races 5, 8 and 11.
Evening Card
The evening program starts out at 6 P.M. with 14-dashes on tap culminating in the $100,000 Gold Cup and Saucer final, presented by Atlantic Lottery.
Trial 1 winner Save America (Anthony MacDonald) leaves from post 8 after the official post position draw was held Tuesday evening by the Gold Cup and Saucer Ambassadors and officials from the Atlantic Province’s Harness Racing Commission.
Trial 2 winner Fortify has $139-million winner Daniel Dube coming in from the U.S. to drive for trainer Chris MacKay from post 3.
Trial 3 winner Heaven On High N (Brett MacDonald) has draw post 2 for trainer Jamie Smith, who also trains Save America and post 7 starter Rocks Shining Star (Jason Hughes).
Also in the historic field are Larry Karr (Austin Sorrie), 2023 Gold Cup and Saucer winner Covered Bridge (Jordan Stratton), Binge On Yankee (Marc Campbell), Twin B Tuffenuff (Gilles Barrieau) and American History (Dale Spence).
Warren Ellis and Family with Summerside Chrysler Dodge announced the $10,000 Smash The Track Record promotion with $5,000 going to the winning horse of the Gold Cup and Saucer if they break the 1:50.1 track record co-held by Sintra, Ys Lotus and Bee Two Bee. The other $5,000 would be dispersed amongst the rest of the Gold Cup and Saucer field.
Also on the evening card, the $15,000 Birthplace Of Confederation Open Mares Series, in memory of Doug Hill, lines up in race 13 with Rosetown Mary (Corey MacPherson) the top selection from post 3.
The $8,500 Premier’s Pace goes postward in race 12. Rollwithhottytoddy (Myles Heffernan Sr.) is selected to win from post 7 over Blood Money (Barrieau) and Time To Dance (Campbell).
The program also had a pair of $21,300 O’Brien Gold divisions for three-year-old pacing colts in races 7 and 10.
Tobins Chester rides a six-race win streak into race 10 from post 4 for the team of driver Hughes and trainer Ashley Gamester.
Race 5 of the evening is The Papermarker Pace for $3,500 with Lets Get Pickled (Spence) slated on top from post 5.
New Legacy has rail control for driver Hughes and trainer Jennifer Doyle to headline the $7,500 Colonel Dan Trot in race 9.
Catch the phenomenal day of racing live at the track or check out the Player Portal for live video, race programs, past Gold Cup and Saucer winners and more.
