CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – The countdown is on as the ‘King’ of Island racing will look to close in on an historic milestone tonight at Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
The card gets underway at 6:30 p.m. with leading driver Marc Campbell just seven wins away from 2,000 career victories, which will make the 33-year-old the youngest ever to reach the milestone in Atlantic Canadian harness racing history.
The Winsloe resident has seven drives on the 12-dash program as he looks to close the gap to his historic moment.
Freddie will be gunning to repeat his open trot victory from last week in the Race 8 $1,950 open trot leaving from Post 6 for trainer-driver Campbell and owner Three Wisemen Stable of Kingston. The track record holder was a 1:58.1 winner in last week’s edition but has to face off against the talented Osprey Impact again this week. The Paul Larrabee-owned and trained Osprey Impact will have Walter Cheverie back in the bike after a runner-up finish to Freddie in her latest. Frill Seeker has already knocked off Freddie this season and gets Post 4 for trainer-driver Kenny Arsenault.
Race analyst Les MacIsaac thinks the open trot will not be part of Campbell ascent to greatness, as he places his faith in Osprey Impact.
“Osprey Impact put in a pretty good effort last week for her first start in six months,” MacIsaac said of the Post 5 starter. “Since she'll likely be a little tighter for this one she's quite possibly the one to beat.”
Other entries include Rosberg (Jason Hughes), Zip The Lip (Brian MacPhee) and Holy Molie Maggie (Corey MacPherson).
Campbell will also start from the outside in the Race 12 $2,350 fillies and mares open pace with his own Malabrigo. The Post 8 starting daughter of Western Paradise is installed as 10-1 morning line odds in a field of the best pacing mares the East Coast has to offer.
Ramblinglily is the top choice from Post 7 with Gary Chappell at the lines for co-owner and trainer Allan Jones of Riverview, N.B., and co-owner Normand Leger of Shediac, N.B. The eight-year-old daughter of Articulator knocked off this group last week in a mile time of 1:56.3. Other top entries include Prettyndangerous (Adam Merner) from Post 2 and West River Ambyr (Steven Shepherd) with Post 5.
– Compiled by Nicholas Oakes for Red Shores.
