Forever Paradise draws rail
49th running of Governor’s Plate set for Saturday night
Forever Paradise has drawn the coveted rail position for the 49th running of the Governor’s Plate.
Prince County’s most prestigious standardbred race will conclude Governor’s Plate Week of harness racing and the Lobster Carnival at Red Shores at Summerside Raceway late Saturday night.
The top-four finishers from Sunday’s two $5,000 eliminations qualified for the final.
The draw for the Governor’s Plate, which is presented by Summerside Chrysler Dodge and features a purse of $22,000, was held following Race 4 of Tuesday night’s 12-dash program.
Do Over Hanover, the winner of the second elimination in 1:53.1, will leave from Post 2 while Allstar Seelster drew the No. 3 hole.
The draw was not kind to the top two finishers in the first elimination.
Hot Deuce, the race winner in a sizzling 1:52.1, will leave from Post 7 while Crombie A is on the far outside – Post 8.
Junebugs Baby (Post 4), Invictus Hanover (Post 5) and Good Friday Three (Post 6) round out the field.
Forever Paradise is a sevenyear-old bay gelding by Western Paradise-Mariart-Arturo. Adam Merner did the driving for P.E.I. owners Reginald MacPherson, David MacKenzie and Aaron MacKenzie in the first elimination. Kevin MacLean handles the training duties.
Do Over Hanover, a fouryear-old bay gelding by Western Ideal-Driven to Sin-Jennas Beach Boy, is owned by Allard Racing Inc. of Quebec along with P.E.I.’s Red Isle Racing and Steven MacRae. Marc Campbell drove in the elimination, and Chris MacKay is the trainer.
Norris Rogers drove Allstar Seelster in the first elimination. Edward Harvey of Tyne Valley owns and trains the six-year-old bay gelding by Artistic Fella-Aqua Ross-The Panderosa.
Junebugs Baby is owned by Jackie Heffernan of Glace Bay, N.S. Myles Heffernan trains and drives the eight-year-old brown horse by Western Paradise-Carols Jung Bug-On the Road Again.
Trainer Jason (Blue Knight) Hughes steered Invictus Hanover, a six-year-old bay gelding by Yankee Cruiser-I Sparkle-Nihilator, in the second elimination for Foxyhall Racing of Wallace, N.S.
Longtime horseman Walter Simmons of Summerside owns the Austin Sorrie-trained Good Friday Three, a five-year-old bay gelding by Mac Three-Smileallthewayhome-Grinfromeartoear. Veteran driver Kenny Arsenault was in the bike in the second elimination.
Hot Deuce had people thinking the track pacing record of 1:51.4, set by Ys Lotus in last year’s Governor’s Plate final, could be in jeopardy in the first elimination. Walter Cheverie was in the sulky of the fiveyear-old bay gelding by Armbro Deuce-Hot Dam Here Iam-A Stud Named Sue in the first elimination. Mike McAllister of Beaumont, Alta., owns Hot Deuce while Patrick Shepherd is the trainer.
Earl Watts trains Crombie A for owners Allard Racing Inc. of Quebec and Kapildeo Singh of New York. Campbell drove the 11-year-old bay horse by Life Sign-Medea Me-Walton Hanover in the first elimination.