By Nicholas Oakes For Red Shores
CHARLOTTETOWN, PE — The second division of the Cecil Ladner Memorial Invitational Pace will headline the Thursday evening program at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
First race post time is 6 P.M. for the 14-dash presentation, culminating in Race 14’s $9,000 Cecil Ladner feature, which was postponed on June 7 after heavy rains and thunder storms cancelled the final three dashes that evening.
Twin B Tuffenuff is pegged as the 5-2 morning line favourite in the Ladner Invitational from post 3 for driver Gilles Barrieau and trainer Ron Matheson. The 10-year-old son of Rock N Roll Heaven has already been a two-time winner in three many local starts this season, including a sparkling 1:54 victory on May 17. Patrick Morris of Charlottetown owns the career winner of $785,114.
His rivals include post 4 starter Merigo Magic (To be driven by Adam Merner) fresh off a sharp 1:56.1 victory defeating Twin B Tuffenuff. Bounty Hunter (Kenny Arsenault) will leave from post 2 while post 1 starter Jackies Boy (Myles Heffernan Sr.) kicks off his four-year-old season after earning $103,726 as a sophomore.
Rounding out the field are post 5 starter Bee Two Bee (Jason Hughes), a recent winner in 1:55.2 from the Ashley Gamester barn, Tony Too Tall (Ryan DesRoche) for trainer Trevor Hicken with post 6 and High Voltage Deo (Corey MacPherson) from the Brendan Curran barn with post 7.
The Post Time Picks leans to Twin B Tuffenuff.
“Twin B Tuffenuff had it his own way last week cutting it all out and just getting nipped at the very end. It looks like a similar trip could be in the works and if that’s how it plays out, he could go all the way this time.”
Race 2 will feature the first leg of the All Star Cresting Trot Series for three-year-old trotters, racing for a $4,500 purse.
Bless Me Father (Marc Campbell) gets the morning line nod at 5-2 for owner-trainer Donna Van Meer. The Father Patrick gelding was a qualifying winner in 1:59.4 on June 5 in Charlottetown.
Supreme Rockette has post 1 with Barrieau in the seat for trainer Mike McGuigan. Fire The Rocket (Jason Hughes) has post 3 with Oceanview Nikki (McGuigan), Little Arrow (Myles Heffernan Sr.) and Arete Hanover (Corey MacPherson) completing the field.
The Race 4 International Snowmobile Congress Pace has pacing fillies and mares battle for $3,700 with Never Shui Never (Barrieau) looking to add to her win totals. Sensational Gal (Norris Rogers) and Woodmere Kennedie (Marc Campbell) appear to be top threats in a deep group.
Pacing fillies and mares will line up for $3,350 in Race 5 in the Paul McKinnon Memorial with Watch Me Shake It (Arsenault) the one to beat for owner Maurice Coady of Charlottetown. Woodmere Lizzie (MacPherson) and Wired Blue Chip (Marc Campbell) will look to spoil from outside posts.
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