Ramblinglily, Sodwana Bay continue rivalry tonight at CDP

CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – The question going into this evening’s card is whether Ramblinglily can re-establish her fillies and mares open dominance or if Sodwana Bay will remain undefeated at Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
The 12-dash program begins at 6 p.m. with the fillies and mares open pace hitting the track in Race 9 for a $2,350 pot. Sodwana Bay has drawn Post 5 in the contest with Gilles Barrieau training and driving the mare for owners Wayne MacRae of Fall River, N.S., and Howmac Farms Ltd., of North Wiltshire. The five-year-old daughter of No Pan Intended has hit the winner’s circle in both tries since relocating to Prince Edward Island with the fastest trip in 1:55.3, while defeating reigning champion Ramblinglily both times. Ramblinglily has Post 6 this week for driver Gary Chappell and trainer Allan Jones of New Brunswick.
“Sodwana Bay is undefeated since coming to the Island and until something steps up and knocks the crown off the queen,” race analyst Les MacIsaac said, “We'll have to stay on her bandwagon.”
The preferred pace hits the track in Race 11 with In Spades looking for redemption after a fifth-place finish in his much-anticipated East Coast debut. Austin Sorrie is back in the driver’s seat from Post 4 this week for owner Walter Simmons of Summerside after coming east from a profitable winter racing season in Ontario. Rose Run Quest scored the upset against this group last week and gets Post 3 in tonight’s $2,500 race for trainer-driver Marc Campbell and owner Blair Hansen of Charlottetown.