Campbell cruising to driver’s title
Winsloe native has sizable lead on third place with second-place Barrieau back in New Brunswick
Marc Campbell continues his now unbreakable grip on the Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park’s drivers’ standings this weekend.
The Winsloe reinsman has recorded 110 trips to the Charlottetown winner’s circle in 2018, ahead of second-place Gilles Barrieau at 92 wins. With Barrieau back in New Brunswick for the remainder of the year, Campbell will walk away with top driver again after a recordbreaking season in 2017.
Adam Merner and Corey MacPherson are tied for third with 61 wins each. Kenny Arsenault holds down fifth with 53 victories.
Campbell led the track in wins in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016 and 2017 while he and Hughes were tied for top spot in 2014 and 2015.
Campbell also leads in the training race, but his lead is more tenuous. He has 43 wins in Charlottetown from his own stable with Jackie Matheson sitting seven wins back at 36 trips to the winner’s circle. Stephen Gass is third with 29 wins, Jason Hughes is fourth at 26 and Melissa Rennie sits tied in fifth with 22 wins alongside Barrieau.
Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park will host cards on Saturday and Sunday afternoons this weekend. The Saturday card kicks off at 12:30 P.M., while the Sunday card has a special post time of 2 P.M., in respect for Remembrance Day services.
P.E.I. Scene
Wishes go out to Brian Andrew for a speedy recovery from his current health battles. The owner-operator of Meridian Farms in Milton is also an active trainer-driver in Island racing.
Mach An Angle makes her Island debut on the Saturday afternoon card for new ownertrainer-driver Rocky Schurman of Summerside. The five-year-old daughter of Mach Three sports $33,000 in lifetime earnings with four wins, including a trip in 1:56.1 over Flamboro Downs in
Dundas, Ont. The pacing mare was racing claiming classes in Ontario before making the trek East.
Across The Continent
Last week at Plainridge Raceway in Massachusetts, Freddie was a winner in a new lifetime best of 1:55.2 for the Three Wisemen Stable of Kingston. Former Island driver Mike Stevenson was in the race bike behind the Robert Marston-trainee as he made his second start since leaving the Campbell stable in Charlottetown.
Island-bred Wynnfrith is currently riding a three-race win streak in New Jersey. Bred by Mike Slana of Belfast, the daughter of Ameripan Gigolo was a winner last week at Freehold Raceway in 1:56.3 for her 11th win of the season for trainer Nick Surick.
Former Maritime triple crown winner Filly Forty Seven was a recent winner in 1:55.2 at Fraser Downs in British Columbia in a $9,300 class. Bred by Wendell Williams of Ellerslie, the Proven Lover mare was also campaigned on the East Coast by Campbell.
Who’s Hot
There is no doubt the Cindy MacDonald stable was hot the month of October, but the wins keep on coming back to the Whim Road. MacDonald, a resident of Montague, has recorded 12 straight on-the-board finishes, including a streak of four straight wins with Sailor Blue, while stablemates Diamond Mine and Dusty Lane Jacob have also been holding their own.