Colts, fillies vying for Maritime Breeder’s spots today

The top three-year-old pacing fillies and colts will converge on Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park today for Maritime Breeder’s elimination action.

The eliminations feature two divisions for the sophomore colts and two divisions for the sophomore fillies with the top four from each race making next week’s finals. First race post time is 6 p.m. for the 12-dash program.

The first $3,000 elimination lines up in Race 5 with divisional leader Tobins Terror with trainerdriver Gary Chappell being shouldered post-position 8 in a field that includes the talented Royaltywestho from Post 5 with Walter Cheverie at the controls. Tobins Terror is undefeated in stakes action this season for owners Boyd MacDonald Produce Ltd., of Crapaud and Daniel Ross of Belfast.

The other $3,000 pacing filly elimination has Maritime champion Woodmere Ceilidh favoured from Post 4 in Race 9. The Clare MacDonald-trained and driven daughter of Articulator is owned by Chris Neville of Sydney, N.S., and has yet to taste defeat in three seasonal starts. Other top entries include Bettim Jackie (Ken Murphy) and Woodmere Wyldstyle (Adam Merner).

The first $3,000 pacing colt elimination is in Race 7 and top colt Half Cut will be the one to beat in the field of eight. Starting from Post 4, Half Cut will have regular pilot Mark Bradley at the lines for trainer Tom Weatherbie and owners Kyle and Joseph Gardiner, Michael Currie and Jerry MacKinnon. The track recordholding son of Stonebridge Terror is unbeaten in 2018 and looks to find one of the top spots for next week’s final.

Sock It Away is tied with Half Cut for purse earnings this season but will have to wait another day for their much-anticipated showdown.

Sock It Away is in the final elimination in Race 11 from the unfavourable Post 8 for driver Marc Campbell, trainer Kevin MacLean and owner Reg MacPherson of Stratford. The Summerside Raceway track record holder was a winner in 1:57 in his latest outing, but has to face The Colonel (Gilles Barrieau) from Post 4 fresh off a 1:56.3 victory.

SUMMERSIDE

The top pacers in Prince County racing will meet some hardened campaigners from the capital region in the Sunday afternoon top event at Red Shores at the Summerside Raceway.

First race post time is 1 p.m. for the 12-dash program with top western pacers Mando Fun and Confident Fella racing against Charlottetown ship-ins Winter Blast and Cartoon Daddy in Race 11.

Winter Blast gets the nod as morning line favourite from Post 6 with Jason Hughes in the bike for trainer Jennifer Doyle and owner Danny Birt of Stratford. The grey son of Sand Shooter has yet to miss the top four this season for his connections but the Post 5 entry, Cartoon Daddy, has the lead in the win column with three victories from his last five starts.

Corey MacPherson drives Cartoon Daddy from Post 5 for trainer Rachel Andrew while Confident Fella (Campbell) has Post 3 and Mando Fun (Kenny Arsenault) has Post 7.

Race analyst Bo Ford gives his top spot to a Meridian Farms stallion.

“Cartoon Daddy kicked the campaign off on the right foot with three in a row, may have even gained himself a new lassie or two with his efforts, but he was just average in his most recent,” he said. “With a week off, and an easier looking class today, we’re all over him.”

The top class is also populated by Pictonian Storm (Austin Sorrie), Heart And Soul (Cheverie) and Salmonier Storm (Ambyr Campbell).

The back-up class lines up in Race 9 with Instant Shadow the top choice but has to overcome Post 7 for the combination of driver Norris Rogers and trainer Sifroi Melanson.

The five-year-old son of Shadow Play was a commanding winner in 1:58 in his latest outing. Machinthesand leaves from Post 2 in the $1,800 event for trainer Hughie Murphy and gets the catch-driving services of David Dowling this week for the drop in class. Troy Coffin scattered nine hits while striking out seven in a completegame victory recently as the Morell Chevies downed the Cardigan Clippers 5-1 in Kings County Baseball League action in Morell. Charles MacLellan took the loss while surrendering 11 hits and striking out five in a complete-game effort.

Josh MacDonald, Scott Harper and Jarrod Laybolt all collected a pair of hits for the Chevies while Taylor Larkin drove in a pair of runs. Quinn Hughes doubled home Kevin Macleod with the Clippers lone run of the game. Sam Walsh continued his hot start to the season, going 2-for-3 with a walk. The Island Mariners tangle with the Moncton Mustangs on the road today to close out the Maritime Football League (MFL) regular season.

Game time is 4 p.m. in Moncton. The Mustangs (4-0) are the defending MFL champs and the Mariners lost a close 43-30 decision to the ‘Stangs last month.

The Mariners (1-4) sit fourth in the circuit, but have some momentum after winning the franchise’s firstever game last weekend with a 29-14 victory against the Halifax Harbour Hawks in Cornwall. Halifax (1-3) faces the Saint John Wanderers (3-2) in Saturday’s other game.

MFL playoffs are set to start Saturday, June 16. Seedings will be determined after today’s games. Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park will feature the Future Stars of Racing Saturday, June 23, at 11 a.m.

The two-year-old horses will strut their stuff on the racetrack while customers of all ages can enjoy hot dogs and beverages on the trackside tarmac.

Trainers can enter their horses until Thursday, June 21 at noon at the race office or by calling 902-6296634.