Island Stakes season wraps up Saturday

CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – Mr Kelly will look to scoop up all the glory Saturday afternoon in the Doug Harkness Memorial Maritime Breeders final for three-year-old harness racing pacing colts at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.

The 13-dash Saturday presentation has a 12:30 P.M. opening post time with the $20,000 Maritime Breeders colt final hitting the track in race 11. Mr Kelly is the morning line favourite in the field of eight after winning last week's elimination in a 1:56.4 head decision over Little Manny.

Adam Merner will drive the Ron Gass trained Mr Kelly from post 2 for owners Marsha Knox and Kyla and Wade MacDonald of Stanhope. Little Manny, a winner of eight races this season, has the post position advantage from post 1 in the premier event with Stephen Trites calling the shots in the race bike for trainer Charles Miles. Woodmere Rollnpop was also an elimination winner and gets post 3 on Saturday for trainer-driver Clare MacDonald.

Peter MacPhee with the Post Time Picks predicts Mr Kelly will land on top after being released to the lead by rail sitter Little Manny. "Mr Kelly has an amazing eight wins on the season, a record of 1:54.1 and over $28,000 in the bank. We think Adam will be blasting off the gate and will call the shots all the way to the winner's circle."

Also in the sophomore colt final are Windemere Albert (To be driven by David Dowling), Windemere Ryan (Marc Campbell), The Big Chase (Corey MacPherson), JJ Patrick (Brodie MacPhee) and Theycallmedude (Ken Murphy).

Woodmere Skyroller and Dowling will be the favourite from post 1 in the $23,000 Ken Starratt Memorial Maritime Breeders final for three-year-old pacing fillies in race 8. Owned by Reg MacPherson of Stratford and trained by Kevin MacLean, the daughter of Rollwithitharry has been exceptional all season with 10 wins from 16 starts and $72,000 in earnings. Watch Me Dance has post 6 after defeating Woodmere Skyroller in elimination action last week for driver Jason Hughes and trainer Stephen Quinn. Streakazana won the other elimination and has post 5 on Saturday with Campbell in the driver's seat.

Also in the championship field are Gotta Love Cabot (MacPhee), Ubettimagoodone (Kenny Arsenault), Saulsbrook Ocean (Mark Bradley), Bellafornow (MacDonald) and Red Dirt Star (Gilles Barrieau).

Watch the action live on the worldwide broadcast at Redshores.ca and wager online at HPIBet.com.

Barrieau Titans Battle In Summerside

SUMMERSIDE, PE – The richest horse in the history of Eastern Canadian harness racing will take on four worth adversaries in the Sunday afternoon top class at Red Shores at the Summerside Raceway.

With 12-dashes on tap, the Prince County oval will unveil its first race at 1 P.M. on Sunday. The Rev brings his record $616,000 bankroll into the $3,050 preferred pace in race 11 of the day with Adam Merner picking up the catch drive for owner Jeff Skinner of Hammonds Plains, N.S., and trainer Gilles Barrieau. The richest Atlantic bred pacer of all-time The Rev has all ready won five races this season. Barrieau will steer another of his trainees in the field of five as Rose Run Quest, a 1:52.1 winner this season, leaves from post 5 for owner Blair Hansen of Charlottetown.

Heart And Soul has been a hot commodity all season in Western P.E.I., and has post 4 Sunday as he looks to add to his 14 top-three finishes from 18 starts. Jason Hughes will steer the pacer for trainer George Riley. Other entrants are Screen Test (To be driven by Corey MacPherson) and Woodmere Ideal Art (David Dowling).

Rose Run Quest is the top selection in the Backstretch Beat in Sunday's race program. "An argument could be made for every horse in this compact field but being the lone Governor's Plate champion in a race at the Summerside Raceway has to put Rose Run Quest over the top. He has been ultra-sharp every single week and can mow down horses like no one else on the Eastern Seaboard."

The afternoon program will also feature the Isabelle and Ivan Cameron memorial scheduled for a 3:50pm post time in race 10. Rail sitter JJ Breanne has been established as the 5-2 morning line favorite for trainer-driver John Davidson of Saint John, NB.

With just two more programs to go on the 2020 Summerside season, the driver's race remains incredibly tight. MacPherson leads the way with 30 wins, followed by Merner in second with 29 and Dowling third at 28 trips to the winner's circle. Hughes is not far behind boasting 26 victories on the season for fourth place.

Marc Campbell is the top trainer so far with 12 winners followed by Ronnie Gass and Hughes tied in second place with 10 wins each.

For more information go to Redshores.ca and wager online at HPIBet.com.

By Nicholas Oakes, for Red Shores