Trotters in the spotlight
Little Miss Winnie is early favourite in tonight fourth race in Summerside
The rookie and sophomore trotters will convene for their first meeting of the season tonight at Red Shores at the Summerside Raceway as part of Governor’s Plate Week racing.
The 12-dash program kicks off at 7 p.m. at the Prince County oval with three divisions of threeyear-old trotters and a lone split for two-year-old trotters.
The two-year-old Atlantic Sires Stakes division in Race 4 could well be the largest purse of the season for the rookies with just eight entrants making for a combined purse of $15,580. All eight horses are making the first starts of their careers, but Little Miss Winnie is the early favourite by virtue of her 2:07 qualifier at Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park. Kenny Arsenault will drive the daughter of Tad The Stud from Post 5 for trainer Ralph Annear and owner Steven Sorrie of Montague.
In three-year-old trotting action, Race 2 will be the first split on the program with Sailor Blue favoured in the $6,340 event. Ken Murphy is in the race bike for trainer Cindy MacDonald of Montague, who co-owns the Ambro Barrister filly with Yossi Martonovich. Daisy River (Paul Lanigan) and Miss Emerson Ridge (Clare MacDonald) are other top entries.
The second division is in Race 6 as A Pure Heart is selected for the top spot with Post 5 for trainerdriver Danny MacDonald and owners Boyd MacDonald Produce Ltd., of Crapaud and Daniel Ross of Belfast. The Armbro Barrister colt was a second-place finisher in his last outing with Kent Beattie in the bike. The top three morning-line choices are filled by Majian Gilroy (Jim Ripley) and Dustylaneambyr (Jack Panting).
Buddy White gets top billing in the final $6,340 split in Race 8 by virtue of being the only horse in the division to win a race in this early point of the 2018 season. Adam Merner was in the bike that day and will be back at the controls tonight from Post 2 for trainer Stephen Gass and owner Blayne White of Belle River. Other top entries include West River Cindy (Clare MacDonald) and Osprey Delta (Walter Cheverie).