CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — There is no way around it: Saturday evening is going to be a roller-coaster of emotions for trainer Rachel Andrew as she sends Midway Island to the gate in The Guardian Gold Cup and Saucer Trial 1 at Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
The first elimination of the biggest race of Old Home Week is set for Race 12 on the doubleheader Saturday card. First-race post time for the evening program is 7 p.m., with the trial scheduled for 10:28 p.m.
Andrew will make her first appearance as a trainer in the Gold Cup and Saucer series as she conditions Post 5 starter Midway Island. Travis Cullen is set to steer the newly-acquired son of Somebeachsomewhere. Andrew and Cullen share ownership of the pacer they recently purchased from the Ron Burke stable of Pennsylvania, where the horse just recorded a lifetime best of 1:49.4.
Midway Island arrived at the Andrew stable in Ontario late last week and then began the trek on Monday to P.E.I., where he landed at the trainer’s hometown farm of Meridian Farms in Miltonvale Park early Wednesday morning.
“He’s been adapting well,” the 27-year-old Andrew said Thursday at Meridian Farms. “Today (Thursday), was his first day jogging on P.E.I., and he seems full of life. He’s a very nice horse to work around. I’m happy with our purchase.”
Andrew was co-owner of 2016 Gold Cup and Saucer finalist Paparazzi Hanover and this will be her first time racing as a trainer in the East Coast classic.
“It’s pretty surreal,” Andrew says of the chance to make the final with her trainee. “Growing up on the Island, I think, it is everyone’s dream to win this race.
“To be in it as an owner and trainer is incredible. Right now I’m OK. When they head to the gate that may change, but we have a lot of people cheering for us, so we just need to hope the race plays out and hope for some luck.”
The top four horses make next Saturday’s final in the last race of Old Home Week while the bottom four go the James (Roach) MacGregor consolation on Friday night. Andrew looks to Post 2 starter and defending-champion Somewhere Fancy (to be driven by Marc Campbell) as her greatest threat Saturday.
“It’s a tough field,” she said. “They’re all great horses. My driver and boyfriend, Travis, knows a lot of these horses from racing in Ontario. So that information will be critical.
“This will be a bit of a challenge because this is our first time racing Midway Island. So it will be a bit of a trial run and there will be some figuring out to do.”
Series eliminations
Also on Saturday evening’s program will be the Birthplace of Confederation series eliminations with top free-for-all pacers from across Atlantic Canada competing. The series is sponsored by the City of Charlottetown and dedicated to the late Brian Andrew, Rachel’s father, who passed away in December at the age of 70 after a lifetime of involvement in harness racing and in the Island education system.
“Saturday is going to be a very emotional night,” an emotional Andrew said while standing in the barn where she used to work side by side with her father. “It would have been so special for him to be here and see it, but I know he’ll still be watching and cheering me on.
“He was my No. 1 (fan). Win, lose or draw, he called me after every race and he was always positive.
“I try to keep that with me because this business is so up and down and if you have a positive mindset that is key. That stays in the back of my head.”
Afternoon
Apart from the evening card, the CDP will host a 10-dash afternoon card at 1 p.m., featuring the Atlantic Sires Stakes for three-year-old pacing fillies.
Trial 1 Entries
Post – Horse – Driver - Trainer
1 – Doctor Royal – David Dowling – Dawn Ellis Abbott
2 – Somewhere Fancy – Marc Campbell – Rene Allard
3 – Czar Seelster – Kenny Arsenault – Todd Weatherbee
4 – National Debt – Gilles Barrieau – Jackie Matheson
5 – Midway Island – Travis Cullen – Rachel Andrew
6 – Levis Day – Robert Shepherd – Victor Puddy
7 – Make Some Luck – Jody Jamieson – Stephanie Jamieson
8 – Bettors Fire N – Ron Cushing – Heidi Gibbs
