Unique competition goes Saturday
The Paul MacDonald memorial trophy will be awarded Saturday afternoon during Horse Person’s Day at Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
The 11-dash afternoon card will feature the MacDonald Memorial Driving Championship, presented by the P.E.I. Standardbred Horse Owner’s Association, with eight reinsmen in the mix.
The competition is unique to virtually every other driving challenge held in harness racing, with two less-busy drivers added to the fray in the 30-75 start category. David Kelly Sr. and Don MacNeill are the two drivers with the best average in that category and will compete in the eight-race competition. They hope to join past winners of the championship who came in from that criteria like Wendell Ford and Harold Shepherd, among others. The top-four dash winners will also compete on the day. They are Marc Campbell, Gilles Barrieau, Corey MacPherson and Adam Merner.
The final two spots belong to the drivers with the best average in more than 75 starts with Steven Shepherd and David Dowling qualifying in that bracket.
The day will also feature second-chance draws and prizes draws for association members.
The capital oval will also hold a 13-dash card Sunday at 12:30 p.m. featuring the open trot and preferred pace.
P.E.I. SCENE
My condolences to the family of Elmer Desroche, 65, on his recent passing. Desroche, a resident of O’Leary, is the father of Milo owner-trainer Philip Desroche and grandfather of groom Kyle and Ontario driver Ryan Desroche.
Windemere Farms in Hampshire will have a new addition to the stallion ranks for the 2021 season in Flameproof Hanover. A son of Captaintreacherous, who has earned more than $3 million, Flameproof Hanover is a three-quarter brother to Little Brown Jug champion Filibuster Hanover. Flameproof Hanover himself is lightly raced, with one win from 12 lifetime starts and $41,079 in career earnings for owner Ed James of New York.
ONTARIO SCENE
Tuesday at Flamboro Downs in Dundas, Ont., Chocolate Swirl was claimed by Jennifer Doyle of Earnscliffe for $15,000. The fiveyear-old son of Mach Three is a six-time winner this season with his fastest victory in 1:52 over Georgian Downs. He was a winner on Tuesday in a front-end mission of 1:55.4 for driver Phil Hudon and trainer Fred Bourgault.