All Eyes On Adkins Hanover in CDP feature
Old Buck headlines Sunday Red Shores card
When the dust settled last Sunday in Truro, N.S., Adkins Hanover was the only one left standing against Invitational company and now the top Island pacers get a crack at him today at Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
The card kicks off at 6 p.m. with 13-dashes scheduled including the Race 12 top event for a purse of $2,400 with Adkins Hanover being forced to overcome the outside Post 7 fresh off his 1:54.2 victory in the $7,500 Johnny Conroy Memorial Invitational at the Truro Raceway.
Corey MacPherson will drive the Trevor Hicken-trained pacer for owner Perry Burke of Grosse-Ile., Que. His competition includes Caracci Hanover, who has acquitted himself well since relocating East, with Jason Hughes at the lines for conditioner Jennifer Trainor. Likely To Win is at 7-2 odds as third choice on the morning line after putting together a solid season for driver Adam Merner and trainer Melissa Rennie, getting Post 4 to work from this week.
Race analyst Les MacIsaac sees the 1:54.2 mile laid down by Adkins Hanover in his most recent as far too much to ignore.
“Adkins Hanover has got the gate speed to overcome the outside post so if he can secure an uncontested lead there could be nothing but open road ahead,” MacIsaac said.
SUMMERSIDE – SUNDAY
The 2017 racing season has been kind to trainer Alan MacDonald as his charge has been tremendous all season and gets the nod as top choice in the Sunday feature at Red Shores at the Summerside Raceway.
First race post time is 1 p.m. for the 13-dash card with a competitive eight horse field assembled for the $2,200 Race 12 featured pace.
Old Buck has been rock solid all season for trainer MacDonald of Summerside, who also owned the four-year-old son of Ameripan Gigolo. With 17 starts on the season, the pacing horse has five wins, three seconds and three thirds to give MacDonald a sparking .450 training average.
Jason Hughes regularly handles the driving duties of Old Buck and will return to the lines again this week from Post 2 as the morning line choice. Ultimately-handsome has been knocking on the door recently with top three finishes in his last three starts for trainer Sifroi Melanson.
Dale Spence gets the catch-driving call on Ultimately-handsome from Post 6 this week while the fast pacing Rash B Havior has Post 4 for trainer Mike Peters of Emyvale with Gary Chappell in the seat.