Preferred pacers back in Summerside
Reeves records first driving win on matinee card in O’Leary
The preferred pacers return to Red Shores at Summerside Raceway on Sunday.
A field of six will battle in the 11th race feature for $2,400 in prize money.
Foxy Hall Racing’s Narragansett is the 5-2 morning-line favourite for trainer-driver Jason Hughes. This horse is a 30-time winner, and shook loose last year in Summerside, winning in 1:55 flat.
Last week, he was closing like a “freight train” and ran out of racetrack.
Last week’s feature winner was Eagle Jolt for Marc Campbell. I didn’t think this duo could do it at the top of the stretch, but . . . wrong! That’s what Campbell can do with a horse, and that is win. However, Mr. Campbell is in Truro on Sunday, so maybe next week.
Mando Fun is the third choice on the morning line. Driver Dale Spence finds himself among the leaders in the driving standings this year in Summerside. This combination had backto-back feature wins in Summerside earlier in the meet. This horse is quite versatile, and is able to cut the mile or come from off the pace.
The babies
Red Shores Summerside hosted its first-ever night for the babies – two-year-olds – on Friday. Earl Watts had a number of impressive individuals on display.
Local trainers on the Summerside backstretch also had some very exciting two-yearolds ready to launch their careers.
In Charlottetown on Saturday at 11 a.m., the capital city babies will be on display. There’s a full card of youngsters and a complementary barbeque on the tarmac.
The races are designed to
introduce the two-year-olds to post parade, the starting gate and get them used to having horses on both sides in preparation for race time.
Truro
Truro Raceway is hosting the MacKenzie Stakes on Sunday. The region’s top three-yearold pacing colts and fillies will race in separate divisions. Their next stop is Inverness on July 2.
The Ladner
The first invitational for the aged pacing horses will go in Charlottetown on Saturday night. The Cecil Ladner Memorial has attracted a fine group of Maritime stars.
Mr. Irresistible drew the coveted rail in Saturday’s contest, and once again will have the services of the red-hot Campbell in the sulky.
Next weekend schedule change
The racing dates will take a complete turnaround in Summerside and Charlottetown on the July 1st weekend. Keeping with tradition of hosting Canada Day, Red Shores Summerside will have a Saturday matinee on July 1. Post time is 1 p.m. Charlottetown will host a Sunday matinee on July 2, also at 1 p.m.
Congratulations
Sixteen-year-old Gillian Reeves recorded her first winning drive Wednesday evening in O’Leary.
By all accounts Gillian was handicapped at the start, but recovered to take down the victory in 2:05.1 over a muddy track.
Miss Reeves just received her Class A trainer’s license last month, and received the Rising Star Award two years ago at the local oval. Congratulations!
Flashback
It was the summer of 1977 when I got the opportunity to visit with Ed Watters in his announcer’s booth in Summerside. Mr. Watters, along with Bob Dewar, gave me a chance to call a race on that night, and believe me it was not close to perfect.
Then it was 2009 – the 50th year of the Gold Cup and Saucer – when Mr. Watters visited me in my booth in Charlottetown, and paid me the biggest compliment of my career.
He said, “If I would have known you were going to be this good I would have given up announcing earlier.” Coming from Ed Watters it doesn’t get any better than that. To me, Ed Watters will always be the greatest announcer in P.E.I. harness racing history.