By Nicholas Oakes for Red Shores
CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – The countdown is on for the 57th edition of the Governor’s Plate Invitational set for July 19 and this week will serve as a taste of what’s to come with a field of nine Preferred Pacers closing out the Saturday program at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
The capital oval has a 13-dash presentation starting at 6 P.M., and the $5,500 Preferred Pace closes out the night in the race 13 finale.
After dominating his last two starts, Twin B Tuffenuff headlines a stacked Preferred 1 field from the rail. The stallion sports a perfect two-for-two record since returning to Prince Edward Island for owner Pat Morris and trainer Ron Matheson. The 10-year-old son of Rock N Roll Heaven is fresh off a wire-to-wire 1:54 score over Red Shores Charlottetown on May 17 and regular driver Gilles Barrieau will be back in the seat for Saturday’s showdown.
The main threat to the streak comes from the well-traveled Merigo Magic (Post 3), who has been knocking heads with Grand Circuit caliber foes at Woodbine Mohawk Park this season. The Adam Merner trainee finished third on Sunday in the P.E.I. Colt Stakes Graduate Series at Summerside, pacing home in a snappy 27.4. Merner drivers for owners Mike May, Herman McQuaid, Derrick Cameron and Ian Walker.
Also in the mix is Bounty Hunter (Post 2), who returned with an impressive win last Saturday beating his Preferred 2 rivals in 1:55.4. The Huntsville gelding is trained and driven by Kenny Arsenault for owners Kevin Harvey of Halifax and Connor Keough of Summerside.
High Voltage Deo (Post 4) comes from the Brendan Curran barn for owners Alby Curran and High Voltage Deo Group. Corey MacPherson drives the five-year-old son of Sweet Lou who makes his first start of 2025.
New Brunswick pacer One Eight Hundred (Post 5) chased Twin B Tuffenuff home last time out to finish second. The start before on May 3 was a 1:53.4 victory for the Somebeachsomewhere seven-year-old, giving veteran driver Mike Downey his fastest lifetime trip from 2,437 wins. Ellen Stevenson trains for owner Dr. Mitchell Downey.
Rollwithhottytoddy (Post 6) makes his 2025 debut off a 1:55.2 qualifier for owner-trainer Trevor Hicken with Myles Heffernan Sr., back at the lines.
2024 Premier’s Cup champion Roll Em (Post 7) returns off a pair of strong qualifying efforts for trainer Landon Campbell and driver Marc Campbell for owners Ryan MacLeod, Savage Stable and Brent Campbell.
Wind Blown (Post 8) gets Paul Langille in the bike from the Phil Sizer barn after winning his last outing in 1:51.1 at Woodbine Mohawk Park on April 26 for the Polley Family of Amherst, N.S.
Island Beach Boy (Post 9) comes in off a stunning 1:53.1 qualifying win and will reunite with driver Brodie MacPhee for trainer Merner and owners Ian Smith of Stratford and Arnold Hagen of Bible Hill, N.S.
The Post Time Picks likes Twin B Tuffenuff off the rail to get it all.
“Twin B Tuffenuff comes into this race off back-to-back front-end victories and has post 1 to work from so we will most likely see more of the same tonight. I’m betting he goes gate-to-wire and scores the natural hat trick.”
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