Harness Racing
Governor’s Plate celebrating golden anniversary in 2018
Vance Cameron’s harness racing column is back.
The 2018 harness racing season in Summerside will kick off on Victoria Day.
Monday’s matinee affair, with a post time of 1 p.m., is a traditional opening card. This year’s meet includes 27 cards, which is three less programs than the past few seasons. However, purse money has increased in all classes. As always, there’s free parking and free admission for every program of racing.
Golden anniversary
The 2018 season marks the golden anniversary of the Governor’s Plate. The former invitational – now earn your way into the final via eliminations – has captivated race fans for 50 years.
There is an old-time Prince County horseman who has been looking to win it, and has gone out and purchased a horse that will be a legitimate contender. Walter Simmons has shelled out some serious cash for a horse by the name of In Spades. At press time, he was the fastest aged-pacing horse in Canada on a half-mile track by virtue of his 1:52.4 victory over Western Fair. Sources have this horse coming to the Island shortly under the care of the father/son duo of Wade and Austin Sorrie. I can’t wait for his arrival.
The feature
There’s a relatively new horse picked by race secretary Gerard Smith to capture the Victoria Day Pace. Confident Fella was claimed out of Ontario in early February, and given some time off before qualifying in Summerside. He tackled the preferred pacers in Charlottetown, and didn’t look out of place. The Sweet family dropped him into an $11,000 claimer, and have a pair of show prizes.
Back-up class
Monday’s co-feature brings an array of pacers to the starting gate. Former Governor’s Plate starter Allstar Seelster is the morning-line favourite for driver Norris Rogers.
The Allstar has two impressive qualifiers in under two minutes, and the Ed Harveyowned and conditioned pupil has the rail to boot.
After a stellar three-yearold season, Offshore Cowboy is coming back after a year off from the races. The multiple stakes’ winner won about $30,000 as a three-year-old, and took a record of 1:56.3.
Oh Sugar!
I’m into my 41st year in some booth somewhere, and continue to chase that illusive 1:49-and-change mile on a half mile racetrack. Well, my friend and fellow announcer Shannon (Sugar) Doyle, a Summerside native, may beat me to the punch.
The inaugural Camluck Classic goes next weekend in London, Ont. The half-miler will host the greatest field of horses in the history of the racetrack. Easy Lover Hanover, a 1:48.1 winner this year, and last year’s winner Bit Of A Legend, a halfmile expert, are just two in this great field of pacers. Good luck Sugar!
Saint John opener
It’s also opening day at Exhibition Park Raceway in Saint John, N.B. The first edition of the Dawn Bremner Memorial Stake for both three-year-old pacing colts and fillies will be held.
There will be two divisions, and the prize money was unavailable at press time.
The only sad thing this about this event is it may be the first and last as only 16 overnight horses were entered. There’s a long and storied past at EPR as a giant in Maritime racing. Let’s hope things can be worked out for a continued 2018 season.