‘Quest’, Euchred meet today
Cheverie troops favoured in Sunday’s top races
A field of the top horses in the Maritimes will butt heads in this afternoon’s feature at Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
Action begins at 12:30 p.m. for the 12-dash card with the $2,800 preferred pace lining up in Race 11.
Rose Run Quest has twostraight wins at this level and will leave from Post 6 for trainer-driver Marc Campbell and owner Blair Hansen of Charlottetown. The sevenyear-old son of If I Can Dream is a 10-time winner this season. Euchred ships in from Nova Scotia to trainer Nicholas Oakes and will have the services of Adam Merner in the driver’s seat for owner Kayla Habicht Walker of Inverness, N.S. The Shadow Play sevenyear-old was third against Rose Run Quest in his latest start with a first-over effort after having won in 1:53.3 at Truro Raceway in the Johnny Conroy invitational earlier this season.
“Rose Run Quest lost his crown for a few weeks but after back-to-back wins, he's top dog again,” said race analyst Les MacIsaac. “It will take a big effort by one of his rivals to prevent a three-peat.”
Race 9 on the card is the Best Risque memorial open mares pace for a $2,700 purse. Jordies Hope knocked off this group in her latest outing and will leave from Post 5 today for trainer and co-owner Brian Ladner and co-owners Kevin and Lillian Ladner of Charlottetown. Jason Hughes picks up the catchdriving assignment.
Today’s program was going to field eliminations of the Maritime Breeder’s stakes for two- and three-year-old trotters but they were not required. The race office received seven entries in the three-year-old trot and five entries for the two-year-old trot. All advance to next week’s finals.
SUNDAY
After being shown open air, Nogreatmischief dispatched his featured foes Sunday and will look for more of the same tomorrow at Red Shores at the Summerside Raceway.
The 11-dash program has a 1 p.m. first race post time with the top class hitting the track in Race 10 for a $2,600 purse.
The Walter Cheverietrained, driven and co-owned Nogreatmischief has Post 6 in the field of as many, fresh off a six-length victory his last start for co-owner Brian Thompson of Charlottetown. Mando Fun sliced out the fractions in that start and has Post 2 Sunday with Gilles Barrieau in the driver’s seat. JJ Powerball (Myles Heffernan Sr.) has rail control and will look for redemption after having a flat tire in his last outing.
The back-up class lines up in Race 11 with Heart And Soul the morning-line favourite riding a streak of 10 straight on-the-board finishes for trainer-driver Cheverie and owner Riley Farms Ltd., of Summerside. The Maritime champion son of Western Paradise would go surpass $100,000 in career earnings with a win.
Badlands Giovanna rides a two-race win streak into Race 2 on the card leaving on the outside in the compact field of five with Hughes driving for trainer Jaycob Sweet, who scored a training double during the last card at the Prince County oval.