AT THE TRACK: Season finale in Summerside on Sunday

The 2017 season finale takes place at Red Shores Summerside on Sunday at 1 p.m.
The 12-race presentation has new faces trucking into Summerside to contest the featured preferred pace.
Junebugs Baby returns to Summerside after pacing his two fastest miles of the season. The pride of Cape Breton Island tried his luck in the Governor’s Plate earlier this summer.  
This horse was not out of place after pacing in 1:54 in his elimination. He also showed up for the final, finishing third in 1:54.4. Junebugs Baby likes the winner’s circle with 52 lifetime victories.
Forever Paradise will return to Summerside on Sunday. This horse hasn’t been to Summerside since late August, when he went wire to wire in 1:57.1. It became a sprint race after very soft opening fractions, and the 55-time winner was allowed to cut a half mile in 59.4, before turning the after-burners on to pace home in 28 seconds flat.
Red Magician hasn’t been in Summerside since Lobster Carnival Week in a lower-end condition race. Since then this horse has had a turn-around season. He’s won in 1:55.4, and had a couple of trips in 1:56 and change.
Macinthesand returns to the Summerside top class. He took a class drop last week, and found himself in unfamiliar territory – the front end. He enjoyed the lead, and never gave it up, winning in 1:57.3.
Last week’s feature winner, Allstar Seelster, returns on Sunday. This horse was actually handed the lead after a staggered start in the preferred pace.
Painted Dessert took a week off after posting two wins and one second at Summerside. The veteran pacer is having one of his best seasons.
Jeb drew the rail on Sunday afternoon. The seven-time winner in 2017 recorded his fastest winning trip over Summerside in 1:55.1.

Condolences
Island horse racing continues to lose members of the harness racing family. It hit close to home again this week as my friend Marlene Doucette passed away.  
Marlene was an avid race fan and horse owner over the years. I raced a filly in 2009, and Marlene got to travel and watch this filly when she was off-Island. Marlene and her husband, Philip. would truck her to the mainland stakes, and she always had a little tale to tell when they arrived home.
I would like to offer my sincere condolences to Marlene and Philip’s children, Jennifer, Nicholas and their families. Marlene is another one who has left us way too early, and she will be greatly missed.
 
Flashback
Going to the racetrack with my grandmother, Ella Coughlin, or squeezing in through a small opening in the grandstand at the old Summerside Raceway was my introduction to a wonderful sport.  
Listening to track announcer Ed Watters enticed me to become one. To me there’s no bigger thrill than the sound of thundering hooves on the racetrack, or the roar of the crowd cheering the horses down the homestretch.  
I can remember when Charlottetown opened its new grandstand – the announcer’s booth was totally enclosed, and how it just didn’t feel right. I owe my colleague and good friend Lee Drake for understanding how difficult it was being in this booth with no idea of crowd and horse sounds.  
Lee immediately came to my aid, pulled the right strings and influenced the right people to add a large sliding window in the announcer’s booth. Believe me folks, it made a tremendous difference for me to have the contact back with the horses and spectators.
This has been a very exciting and wonderful ride over the past 40 years. I know I don’t have another 40 left in me, that’s just reality. I do know that I’ve got a few more years left, and through time I’ll know when it’s time to step down.  
There’s only one thing that has eluded me, and that is that sub-1:50 mile. I’ve been oh so very close, and the Gold Cup and Saucer still gives me hope.  
Once again, it’s been my pleasure to write these stories. Bill Semple was the Journal Pioneer sports editor at the time, and Bill allowed the column to start more than 20 years ago. Today’s sports editor Jason Simmonds has continued, and I thank Jason and the newspaper for giving me the opportunity.
 
Picks
A look at Sunday’s picks:
Best bets – Cyrax in Race 6, and Heart and Soul in Race 10.
Long shot possibilities – Bet Er All in Race 7, and Myambrose in Race 12.

Vance Cameron is the track announcer in Summerside and Charlottetown. Comments and suggestions can be sent to [email protected].