Top pacers meet tonight on Charlottetown oval

After knocking on the door from poor starting posts, Tobinator will look to put it all together tonight in the feature event at Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park.

The program gets underway at 6:30 p.m. with Tobinator leaving from Post 2 in the Race 11 $2,200 top pace.

The four-year-old son of Coastocoast Yankee was a winner in this same group three weeks ago in Charlottetown then drew Posts 7 and 8 in his latest outings but was only beaten by two and four lengths, respectively, with closing panels of 29 or better. Corey MacPherson is back in the driver’s seat for trainer Trevor Hicken and owner Billy Hicken of Vernon Bridge.

The pacer is listed at 6-1 morning line odds but has garnered the respect of race analyst Les MacIsaac as his top choice.

“Tobinator was severely compromised by the draw in his last two starts but not tonight,” MacIsaac said. “We would expect him to cut this one or sit and stalk from this ideal post and either of those scenarios makes him quite possibly the one to beat.”

Other entries in the top pace are Perfect Escape (Gilles Barrieau), Stars Above (Steven Shepherd), Oh To Be Me (Gary Chappell), Nogreatmischief (Walter Cheverie) and Likely To Win (Adam Merner).

The open trot hits the track in Race 8 for a purse of $1,950. Freddie is the prohibitive favourite and is again handicapped to the outside in the field of seven. Marc Campbell trains and drives the Majestic Son gelding for owners Three Wisemen Stable of Kingston.

Newcomer Isabella Hanover has drawn Post 5 sporting race lines from Rideau Carleton Raceway in Ontario that make her look like a top contender this summer. Merner holds the reins for trainer Stephen Gass and owners Kent Livingston of Cornwall and Wade MacDonald of Stanhope.

Other top open trot entries are Post 6 starter Suicide Shift (Shepherd) and Holy Molie Maggie (Cheverie) from Post 4.