Sugar Bowl to defend title in Kent Oakes Memorial

CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – The distaff pacing ranks will take centre stage Thursday evening at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park as Sugar Bowl seeks a repeat in the second annual Kent Oakes Memorial.

The capital oval has a 13-dash harness racing program starting at 6 P.M., with the $6,000 Fillies and Mares Preferred Pace honoring the legacy of Kent Oakes, a lifelong supporter of Island and Canadian harness racing and an individual honoured with two of the Sport’s greatest awards in the Cam Fella Award and an induction into the Canadian Horse Facing Hall Of Fame. The new racing surface at the Charlottetown Driving Park opened 21 years ago on June 4, 2005 with a team of dedicated individuals committed to revitalizing the industry, with Oakes in his role with the Provincial Government serving an integral part of that group. His memory lives on in the sport he loved and the many people and horses he helped along the way.

Windemere Saddy is the favourite in the featured event from post 2 with Ken Murphy in the seat for trainer and co-owner Saul Lanigan and co-owners Shane Esson, Darcy Doyle and Isaac Schurman. The five-year-old daughter of Malicious was fantastic late in the season in 2025 winning the Atlantic Aged Pacing Mares final.

Sugar Bowl won the Kent Oakes Memorial in 2025 and will vie for another victory from post 3 for trainer-driver David O’Brien and owner Brian MacPhee of Mount Stewart. She was second to Lady Café Au Lait in her first start of the season.

Rosetown Mary gets post 4 with Corey MacPherson training and driving the Pang Shui mare for owners Rosetown Stable and Taylor MacPherson as she rides a three-race win streak.

Lady Devine has rail control with Brady Sweet in the bike for trainer Jennifer Doyle who co-owns with Mac Webster Stable of Inverness, while stablemate Sweet Molly will leave from post 5 with Gilles Barrieau aboard for Clair Murphy, Derrill Murphy and Cindy MacLean. Redland Misspretty completes the field from post 6 with Paul Langille driving from the Kyle Williams barn for owners Rebecca Blaisdell, Howard Anderson and Brian MacGregor.

The Post Time Picks will side with Windemere Saddy.

“Windemere Saddy finished 2025 on a three-race winning streak and came out swinging in her first charted mile of 2026, winning her qualifier in 1:56.4, last quarter in 28.3. She’s picking up right where she left off, so with this inside post, I’m betting she goes coast to coast on top for her fourth consecutive win.”

Play at the track or from home through HPIBET.COM. For the Race Day broadcast, race programs and more go to Redshores.ca.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Nicholas Oakes, for Red Shores