Campbell shines in 2017 Season

CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – The 2017 harness racing season has been nothing short of remarkable for P.E.I.'s leading driver and with rail control in the Saturday night feature, Marc Campbell will look to add to those totals at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.

First race post time is 6 P.M. for the 14-dash card with Rose Run Quest leaving from post 1 in the race 13 feature event for trainer-driver Campbell and owner Blair Hansen of Charlottetown. Campbell is the leading driver and trainer at both Red Shores locations in Charlottetown and Summerside, and this is only where his accomplishments start as 2017 passes two-thirds completion. With 85 wins as a trainer, Campbell ranks third in Canada for victories and first in the nation for percentage with his .552 average. That average also puts him third in North America for trainers with under 300 starts. As a driver, Campbell has made 163 trips to victory lane in 2017, placing him seventh in Canada for wins among drivers and first for driving average at .466. Those numbers will look to be bolstered in race 13 Saturday as Rose Run Quest has just 4 starts on red soil but an impressive summary of two wins and two seconds. His competition in Saturday's $2,400 preferred pace will be fierce, as he faces off with Nogreatmischief (Driven by Walter Cheverie), Forever Paradise (Gilles Barrieau), Carracci Hanover (Jason Hughes) and Junebugs Baby (Myles Heffernan).

Race analyst Les MacIsaac sees Nogreatmischief as a major threat to repeat his preferred pace victory from last week.

"Nogreatmischief's tardy starts always force him to come from the back but in a five horse field, the back isn't all that far away," MacIsaac said. "He just beat these last week and we don't see any reason he can't double up."

In other action, JK Rocket rides a two-race win streak into race 8 with Earl Smith back in the bike for owner and trainer Joe Smallwood of Stratford. The three-year-old son of Ameripan Gigolo has post 5 this week as he faces off with Woodmere Soul (Barrieau) who is fresh off a career best clocking of 1:58 while winning an Atlantic Sires Stakes B-division at Northside Downs in Nova Scotia in his latest outing.

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Rash B Havior Seeks Red Shores Summerside Repeat

He decimated his rivals in last week's feature event at Red Shores at the Summerside Raceway but the outside post will complicate things for Rash B Havior on Sunday.

The 12-dash Sunday afternoon kicks off at 1 P.M. with the Garth Schurman Memorial headlining the card in race 11 for a $2,100 purse. The afternoon top pace has Rash B Havior fresh off a 1:56.1 victory off the rail last Monday during Labour Day action in Summerside. The son of Lis Mara is again teaming up with leading driver Marc Campbell for owner and trainer Michael Peters of Emyvale from post 6 in the field of as many. Old Buck has been sharp all season and gets Walter Cheverie this week from post 1 while Narragansett can never be counted out and has post 5 this week for trainer-driver Jason Hughes.

Race analyst Bo Ford sees post position not playing a negative factor in Rash B Havior's chances.

"He toyed with his rivals last week," Ford said of Rash B Havior. "With three wins over his last five starts this horse is red hot, keeping Campbell only adds to his upside."

Other entries include Capitalism (Adam Merner), Keep Coming (Gary Chappell) and D Bs Rosco (Kenny Arsenault).

Culpepper is in race 9 with the outside post in the 7 horse field as he looks to defend his unbeaten record on the East Coast. The grey son of Camluck was a 1:57.2 winner in his debut on red soil for driver Jason Hughes, co-owner and trainer Kristina McCourt and co-owner Braedon McKenna of Kensington. The seven-year-old pacers main challenge will come from post 5 starter Mando Fun, who was a top performer in the Summerside top class at the start of the season.

Race 6 is the Peter Coughlin Memorial with Windemere Johnny favored in the $1,000 event with Chappell driving for trainer Phil Sizer.

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By Nicholas Oakes For Red Shores