Campbell seeks Jolt to winner’s circle

Final card of the winter season goes today in Charlottetown

After dominating the preferred pace so far this season driver Marc Campbell will have to find the winner’s circle with a different member of his stable today at Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park.

The program is the final card of the winter session and kicks off at 12:30 p.m. Campbell and Eagle Jolt will team up in Race 10 for a $2,300 purse as the morning line choice. The Post 3 starter is fresh off a pair of second-place finishes in the back-up pace, but gets installed as the top choice by classifier Gerard Smith. Owned by Wilbur and Marie MacDonald of Stratford, Eagle Jolt will have some deep competition in the seven-horse field, including a rival from two weeks ago. Salmonier Storm (Ambyr Campbell) knocked off the favoured Eagle Jolt on Jan. 14, then moved up a notch to finish second to the Campbell-trained Rose Run Quest.

With Rose Run Quest absent from competition this week, Eagle Jolt will fill the void for Campbell as he tries to fend off his preferred challengers. Nogreatmischief draws Post 6 for owner-trainer-driver Walter Cheverie at 7-2 morning line odds, while the classy Forever Paradise has the outside with Ken Murphy at the controls. Race analyst Les MacIsaac puts his lukewarm faith in Eagle Jolt as he makes his final start before the winter break.

“Eagle Jolt was a beaten favourite in his last two which doesn’t instil a lot of confidence,” MacIsaac said. “Having said that, don’t lose sight of the fact that he was just beaten in both so he could be the one to knock off today.”

Other entries include Keep Coming (Adam Merner), Tempo Seelster (Kenny Arsenault) and Drivingthedragon N (Jason Hughes).

Race 6 is the George Younker 80th Birthday Pace for a $1,000 purse.

Dusty Lane Zendaya is the morning line choice fresh off an 11-length romp for driver Corey MacPherson. Other top entries include Jinglewriter (Merner) and Anzula (David Dowling).