Rising stars home for Red Shores Christmas

CHARLOTTETOWN – A pair of Island natives are coming home for the holiday season to put the finishing touches on their breakout seasons in the race bike in central Canada.

Milo native Ryan Desroche and Montague native Austin Sorrie will be competing on the Thursday afternoon Boxing Day program at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park. The 14-dash presentation kicks off at 12:30 p.m.

Recently named a finalist in the Future Star category at the O’Brien Awards honouring the best in Canadian racing in February, the 20-year-old Sorrie will participate in six races.

CAREER YEAR

Sorrie is in the midst of a career year in Ontario after setting a record on P.E.I. in 2018 for most wins by a rookie driver. So far in 2019, Sorrie has made 78 trips to the winner’s circle and put together $401,000 in purse earnings from 630 starts.

Desroche has also been working towards making a mark as a driver in central Canada with 26 wins and $187,587 earned from 443 races. The 21-year-old Prince County native will drive Bettim Jenny in Race 5 from the Jeff Lilley stable of Charlottetown.

A winner at this same level on Saturday afternoon, Bettim Jenny leaves from Post 3 in the $1,600 affair, which is also the first race of the afternoon for Sorrie, who will drive Can Art from Post 6 for owner Wayne Oakes of North Wiltshire. Sorrie will also compete in Races 6, 7, 9, 11 and 14.

FEATURE

The afternoon feature lines up in Race 13 with Winter Blast the morning-line choice in the $2,650 class with Jason Hughes at the lines for trainer Jennifer Doyle and owner Danny Birt of Vernon Bridge.

Screen Test knocked off the top event on Saturday afternoon and leaves from Post 2 as Corey MacPherson will drive for trainer Stephen Gass of Cornwall. Other top entries include Burn Out Hanover (driven by Kenny Arsenault) and Rockin Indy (David Dowling).