CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – The Atlantic stakes season comes to a close today with the Island Breeders finals and a pair of pacers will look to put the finishing touches on their unscathed seasons at Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
The 14-dash program gets underway at 12:30 p.m., with Magical Mistress upping the tempo early as she puts her undefeated season to the test in Race 2.
Adam Merner returns to the driver’s seat behind the undefeated daughter of Camystic, who will look for her 12th win in a row in the $9,600 Island Breeders final for two-year-old pacing fillies. Stephen Gass trains the filly for owner Barry Martin of Sydney, N.S.
The three-year-old pacing fillies have their $10,300 Island Breeders final in Race 4 with Bettim Jackie riding high into the final from Post 6 with a string of three wins.
Gilles Barrieau drives the daughter of Andreoli Hanover for co-owner and trainer Jeff Lilley of Milton, and co-owners Blair MacLauchlan of Charlottetown, and Danny Purcell of Newport, N.S.
Mile Hill Willie had been perfect since finding his way to the Barrieau stable and enters the Race 6 Island Breeders final for $7,000 for two-year-old trotters as the favourite from Post 4.
Mile Hill Willie, who has a six-race win streak, is owned by Paul Morrison of Cardigan.
The ultra-competitive three-year-old trot division comes to a close with their Island Breeders final in Race 8 for a $7,500 pot.
West River Cindy has never been worse than second in her career and gets Post 2 for trainer-driver Clare MacDonald, while Buckaroo (Campbell) is favoured off the rail and Atlantic Breeders Crown winner Buddy White (Merner) leaves from Post 8.
Woodmere Bolt controls the pylons in the Race 10 Island Breeders final for two-year-old pacing colts carrying a $10,200 purse. The Earl Smith-trained-and-driven pacer has never been out of the top three in 12 career starts for owners Peter Smith of Stratford and Gerald Morrissey of Vernon River, along with Arnold Hagen of Bible Hill, N.S.
The Island Breeders finale is in Race 12 with the three-year-old pacing colts final as Sock It Away looks to close out his undefeated season of the East Coast with 15 wins from as many starts in his sophomore campaign. Marc Campbell drives the son of Pang Shui for trainer Kevin MacLean and owner Reg MacPherson of Stratford.
Each final of the Island Breeders have been named in honour of long time members of the harness racing community including Bert Honkoop, Joe Smallwood, Charlie Willis, Wilma MacLure, Ron Kennedy and Lee Taylor.
– Compiled by Nicholas Oakes for Red Shores.
