AT THE TRACK: Machinthesand overwhelming favourite in SRW feature

The next-to-last afternoon card on the 2018 harness racing schedule at Red Shores Summerside happens on Sunday. 
The usual 1 p.m. post time starts the 11-race program.
Machinthesand is the overwhelming favourite in the feature. Three starts back this veteran nine-year-old pacer marched to a new pacing record of 1:54.2. The rest can only wish.
Last week’s feature winner, Pictonian Storm, returns as the second choice. The 1:58.3 triumph from a week ago puts this fella in the No. 2 starting position.
The lone claimer in the compact field of five is pole-sitter Mando Fun, priced at $10,000. Driver Dale Spence, who is putting in a career year in the race bike, will be reunited with the Tyne Valley star.
 
Maritime Breeders
Prince Edward Island will host the Maritime Breeders final on Saturday for both the two- and three-year-old trotters. Nova Scotia is playing host to a pair of rich Maritime Breeders finals as the two-year-old pacing colts and fillies battle in Truro on Sunday.
 
The trotters
Mile Hill Willie looks like the one to knock off in the $7,000 two-year-old trot final. Willie is on a five-race winning streak for trainer/driver Gilles Barrieau. This colt’s owner, Paul Morrison, has been battling that dreaded cancer, and this colt’s success will help with the healing.
In the $7,850 final for the three-year-old trotters, it appears to be a roll-of-the-dice event. Local trotter Windmeredontuworry came up empty in his last start. Seasonal leader Buckaroo went down to defeat in his last effort. Kenny MacDonald’s huge trotting filly, West Prince Cindy, has her winning streak snapped. So that put Buddy White into the mix after he rallied to victory last week. This may be the most intriguing race this afternoon.
 
On the mainland
The sensational and undefeated Magical Mistress will put it all on the line at Truro Raceway on Sunday. This filly will go down as one of the all-time greats in Maritime racing history. She had no luck at the draw for post positions, pulling out No. 8. There’s $27,000 up for grabs in this filly final, and I look for her streak to be intact when it’s all over.
The two-year-old pacing colts are chasing a $22,500 purse in their Maritime Breeders final. There’s no runaway favourite in here from my point of view. There is a late bloomer by the name of Purple Poet, who has been turning it on lately. Danny Romo will get a catch-drive call that could pay off.
 
Titles
David Dowling is poised to win his first driver’s title in Summerside. The new kid on the block has 39 Summerside victories this year. That’s a 12-win cushion with one race program remaining.
On the training side, the title won’t be won until “the fat lady sings.” Earl Watts leads the rookie Austin Sorrie by one win.
 
Picks
A look at Sunday’s picks:
Best bets – Old Buck in Race 1, and Hurricane Hill in Race 4.
Long shot possibilities – Southfield Sassy in Race 8, and Windemerenightlife in Race 9.

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