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SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — This year’s Governor's Plate Week was great for harness racing enthusiasts as there was good competitive action all week.
It was capped off by one of the best – if not the best – cards ever at Red Shores at Summerside Raceway, culminating with the 51st running of the Governor's Plate.
Everyone wants to win on Plate night in front of the large crowd and that has the drivers getting the best out of their horses. All 16 races were timed in 1:59 and change or better, with six of those in 1:55 or better.
Never before has Summerside had four trips in 1:54 and change on the same card. The 1:53 trip by Rose Run Quest in the 51st Governor’s Plate was a great trip and showed that he is the best on the East Coast. Driver Marc Campbell showed why he is one of the best in our region, putting a great drive on the winning horse in the $25,000 race.
The handle on the 16-dash program was $96,651 – a good strong wager for Summerside. The total wager for the week was just over $265,000, including a $45,000 wager on the card featuring the two Governor's Plate elimination races.
It is a week of racing to look forward to all year and this year was as good as any in recent memory.
Harness racing flashback
It was 35 years ago Saturday on July 20, 1984, that harness racing history was made on P.E.I. It was the day the great Winners Accolade gave race fans a thrill – P.E.I.'s first-ever sub-two-minute mile.
The George Canning-owned star, driven by Doug Walsh, toured Summerside Raceway in 1:59:2 and that sent a large roar of approval on Governor's Plate Night 1984.
The horse became known as The Pacing Machine and had some kind of season leading up to that race, winning 18 of his 20 starts to that point. He set track records in Sackville, N.S.; Truro, N.S.; Saint John, N.B., and then Summerside. Winners Accolade was easily the best horse in Atlantic Canada.
The following summer, the Mike MacDonald-driven Winners Accolade won the 1985 Gold Cup and Saucer in Charlottetown against some tough competition from Upper Canada. That was about the time this great race started to attract outside horses and the late Mike MacDonald came home to Charlottetown annually to take part.
The Pacing Machine attracted fans wherever he raced and he certainly thrilled P.E.I. fans with the Island's first sub-two-minute mile and winning the Gold Cup and Saucer.
A horse by the name of Clipper Seelster had the first sub-two-minute mile in the Maritimes on July 19, 1982. That took place at Fredericton Raceway in a time of 1:59:3.
Fastpitch
It is great to see an 11-team girls’ fastpitch softball tournament this weekend in Slemon Park. Seven teams in the under-16 division and four in the 12-and-under category will take part, including off-Island teams from Sackville, Fredericton, Stellarton and Moncton.
The host P.E.I. Stars are using the tournament as a warm-up and fundraiser for next month’s nationals in Calgary. It is great to see the girls at the younger ages playing fastpitch. It would be great if this could lead to the female game being resurrected to the point where it was back in the 1990s.
It was very popular then and one of the best tournaments Summerside ever hosted was the 1991 Canadian senior women’s fastpitch championship. That was a great event to watch, was played in front of big crowds and provided some of the best fastpitch action Queen Elizabeth Park has ever seen. Those were the days and getting the game in Canada back to that point would be great.
It has to start somewhere and a big thank you goes out to Dave Campbell and those associated with putting on this weekend’s tournament in Slemon Park. Maybe we will see some of these girls at a future national championship in Summerside.
Condolences
Condolences are extended to the family of the late Mike (Pinky) Gallant. After an almost four-year battle with cancer, Gallant passed away this past week at the age of 61. He was well known and respected Island-wide. He was one of the greatest leaders a hockey team would ever want when he played junior hockey in Summerside and senior hockey with those great Borden and Crapaud Rampart teams as well as in Summerside with the Regent Leafs. He was as tough as they come as a player and made any team he played on better.
Gallant was a true gentleman and as genuine of a person as you would ever meet. He had friends everywhere and had a tremendous amount of respect from all who knew him.
To his wife, Patricia, and all the Gallant and McIver families, I know I join with many in extending sincere sympathy at this most difficult time. Pinky will be missed and never forgotten.
Click here for a related Hot Corner column on Mike (Pinky) Gallant:
Major League Baseball
Could we see the return of Major League Baseball (MLB) to Montreal?
The recent talk of the Tampa Bay Rays playing half of their schedule in Montreal is something to get excited about. An important fact is that the Rays are the second-worst drawing team in MLB, drawing an average of about 15,000 per game. The only team with lower attendance is the Florida Marlins at under 10,000 per game. The MLB average is 27,000 per game.
History has shown that baseball is a tough sell in Florida with hot summer temperatures. It is sweltering hot in outdoor stadiums and there are plenty who don't enjoy watching the sport indoors.
The Rays are one of the better teams in the American League and their minor league system is one of the best in baseball, yet they draw poorly in St. Petersburg. They would not be any worse off in Montreal. In fact, with a second chance to have a team in Montreal, I think fans would support it.
Hopefully, it does happen and 2024 is the target date. Playing a part season in Montreal is a foot in the door. Let’s hope this leads to a full-time return of America's favourite past time to Montreal.
Joe MacIntyre is a local life insurance broker. His column appears every Saturday. Comments and suggestions can be sent to [email protected].
