SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — Down On My Luck had the luck of the draw on Tuesday night.
The five-year-old bay gelding drew the coveted rail position for the 51st running of the $25,000 Governor’s Plate, presented by Township Chevrolet Buick GMC and Noonan Petroleum. The race will culminate Governor’s Plate Week harness racing at Red Shores at Summerside Raceway late Saturday night.
Down On My Luck, owned by Robert Woodbum of St. Thomas, Ont., and trained by Patrick Shepherd, finished second for driver Jason Hughes behind the Kenny Arsenault-driven Czar Seelster in the first of two $5,000 elimination races Sunday afternoon.
Czar Seelster, however, was not as fortunate at the draw as the 10-year-old bay horse, trained by Greg Weatherbee for owner Tammy Johnston of Stratford, drew Post 7. Czar Seelster won the 2018 Governor’s Plate in 1:53.2.
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Rose Run Quest, winner of the second elimination in 1:54.1, will leave from the six-hole. Marc Campbell drives and trains the seven-year-old bay gelding for owner Blair Hansen of Charlottetown.
Bugsy Maguire, a five-year-old bay gelding, will leave from Post 2 after Myles Heffernan drove the Wade Sorrie-trainee to a show finish in the second elimination for owner Walter Simmons of Summerside.
Burn Out Hanover, driven by Gilles Barrieau and trained by Michael Dowling, drew Post 3. Owned by Orwell Bay Stable of Orwell, the four-year-old bay gelding secured the fourth and final qualifying spot in the first elimination.
Do Over Hanover, the 2017 Governor’s Plate winner, was second in Elimination 2 for driver Jason Hughes and has drawn the fourth position on the starting gate. The six-year-old bay gelding is trained by Chris MacKay for owners Donald MacRae of P.E.I., Allard Racing Inc. of Quebec and Don MacNeill Jr. of Alberta.
Screen Test’s fourth-place showing in the second elimination qualified the four-year-old bay gelding for Summerside’s big race and will leave from Post 5. Corey MacPherson was in the bike. Stephen Gass trains Screen Test for owners Kickin Horse Stable of York, P.E.I., and William Andrew of Calgary, Alta.
Euchred will leave from the grandstand side of the starting gate – Post 8. Euchred was second in the 2018 Governor’s Plate and finished third in the first elimination with David Dowling in the bike. Michael Dowling trains the seven-year-old brown gelding for owner Kayla Habicht Walker of Inverness, N.S.
