Even group of pacers

Track record holders battle in Open Trot

Tonight’s feature promises to be a wide-open affair at Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park.

The first of 12 dashes gets underway at 6:30 p.m. with the featured pacers battling in Race 11 for a $2,000 purse. McJestic was the winner of the this class last week in 1:56.4 and is saddled with Post 6 this week with Ken Murphy driving for owner-trainer Troy Murray of Clyde River. Eagle Jolt is listed as the morning line choice from Post 7 for trainer-driver Marc Campbell while American Captain has a two-race win streak on the line from Post 3 with Kenny Arsenault driving.

Race analyst Les MacIsaac is going a different direction in the evenly matched field, as he selects Post 4 starter Perfect Escape with Gilles Barrieau in the bike for trainer Jackie Matheson.

“He can kick home as well as any of them in here and with the possibility of some early mayhem up front, things could set up nicely for him,” MacIsaac said of Perfect Escape. “He is quite possibly the one to beat.”

Other entries include Three Truths (Vaughan Doyle), Likely To Win (Adam Merner), Female Finesse (Gary Chappell) and Narragansett (Jason Hughes).

The top trot lines up in Race 6 for a $1,850 pot with Summerside Raceway track record holder Thunderaway favoured from Post 3 with trainerdriver Hughes for owner Foxyhall Racing of Nova Scotia.

The seven-year-old daughter of Thunder Road was second to Freddie in her latest outing, and with that dominant trotter absent from this week’s event, it leaves the door open for a new face in the winner’s circle.

Charlottetown track record holder Osprey Impact is also in the field with Corey MacPherson in the bike from Post 6.