By Nicholas Oakes For Red Shores

SUMMERSIDE, PE – Atlantic Canada’s rookie pacing stars will converge on Red Shores at the Summerside Raceway Sunday afternoon as the Joe O’Brien Memorial and Lady Slipper Stakes share the spotlight.

The 15-dash stakes-heavy program begins at 1 P.M. and features Gold and Grassroots action for two-year-old pacers, alongside trotting divisions for the colts and fillies.

The pacing fillies take centre stage in race 14 with the $32,800 Lady Slipper Stakes Gold division. Windemere Skye has been dominant her whole career with four wins from as many lifetime starts but is installed as the 3-1 second choice from post 1 for trainer Earl Watts, driver Marc Campbell and owners Matt Burke and Windemere Farms. Fitness First (To be driven by Corey MacPherson) draws post 2 and is the top choice at 5-2 after a 1:54.4 mile in her last start, setting a new track record at Red Shores Charlottetown and tying Redlandbethanyjean’s overall two-year-old pacing record for Atlantic Canada. The $28,800 Joe O’Brien Memorial Gold division in race 11 will see formerly undefeated colt Sporty Anthony look to return to the winner’s circle from post 1. The Somewhere Fancy–Southwind Ion colt is the 3-1 second choice in the morning line with Ken Murphy in the bike for trainer and co-owner Jason Biggar of Miscouche and co-owner Jason Williams of McNeills Mills. He will clash with morning line favourite Tobins Gem (Marc Campbell) from post 4 and Louie The Lip (Brodie MacPhee) with post 5 in a deep group of freshman colts.

The Grassroots divisions of the Joe O’Brien Memorial has $14,400 splits for the rookie pacing colts in races 3, 7, 13 and 15, while the Grassroots divisions of the Lady Slipper Stakes for two-year-old pacing fillies carry $16,400 purses in races 1, 5, 9 and 12.

Trotting talent is also on display with the Lady Slipper Stakes for two and three-year-old trotters. The two-year-old colts compete for $14,600 in races 2 and 4, while the two-year-old trotting fillies line up in race 8 for a $14,600 pot. The sophomores headline in race 6 for the $20,240 three-year-old trotting fillies Lady Slipper division and in race 10 for the lone $20,240 three-year-old trotting colts.

Wager live at the track or from home through HPIBET.com. For the Race Day broadcast, race programs and more, visit the player portal at Redshores.ca.