Time To Dance readies for debut

CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – With an eight-race harness racing win streak at stake, The Guardian Gold Cup and Saucer champion Time To Dance returns for the 2021 season on Saturday evening at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.

The capital oval has a 10-dash card to present on Saturday evening with a 6 P.M. opening post time.

Time To Dance is assigned the outside post 5 in the race 9 preferred pace for a $3,400 purse as he looks to extend his winning ways. The Marc Campbell trained and driven son of A Rocknroll Dance has won his last eight starts including the Gold Cup and Saucer, the Cecil Ladner Memorial, the Atlantic Breeder’s Crown Invitational and the Johnny Conroy Memorial at Truro Raceway in Nova Scotia. The 19-time winner is co-owned by Brent Campbell of Charlottetown and Matt McDonald of Ontario.

Avatar J was the boss in the preferred class last week and gets rail control for driver Gilles Barrieau and trainer Danny MacDonald while GA Speed Sammy (To be driven by David Dowling) is another top contender.

Peter MacPhee pegs Time To Dance as the most probable winner of the day in his Post Time Picks.

“What an amazing year Time To Dance had in 2020 and we all remember that wire to wire score in the Gold Cup & Saucer,” MacPhee said. “Just a reminder he did reel off eight straight to close out last season and we think he wins his first start of 2021.” Also in the field are Cowboy Logic (Steven Shepherd) and Chocolate Swirl (Jason Hughes).

The evening’s second highest class will see an interesting struggle in race 7 as Mc Pat and Panimal Kingdom face off for the lion’s share of a $2,800 purse. Panimal Kingdom has yet to taste defeat on the Eastern Seaboard of Canada for trainer Colin Johnson and owners Debbie Element of Village Green and Bobbi Jo Matheson of Charlottetown but will have to overcome post 6 for driver Dowling. Mc Pat has the inside lane in the class leaving from post 2 with the Barrieau-trained and driven pacer also yet to be beaten in Atlantic Canada for New Brunswick owners Donald Stevenson and Everette Hanson. Barring a deadheat for win, at least one of those streaks will end on the Saturday card.

Moonwriter made sure everyone knew he was there in his East Coast debut and will look to reignite that magic in the Sunday afternoon feature at Red Shores at the Summerside Raceway.

The Prince County track will host an 11-dash program starting at 1 P.M. on Sunday.

Moonwriter is the morning line favourite in the race 10, $3,200 preferred pace with David Dowling handling the reins for trainer Colin Johnson and owner Debbie Element of Village Green. The Sportswriter stallion continues his trek to $400,000 in career earnings from post 4 on Sunday after a convincing 1:55.2 victory in his first start in Atlantic Canada. Soccer Hanover is second choice in the field from post 2 with Brodie MacPhee picking up the drive from trainer Leith Waite of Summerside. Heart And Soul is another top contender from the outside post 5 in the compact field with Jason Hughes aboard.

The Backstretch Beat in Sunday’s card places Moonwriter firmly in the win position. “Moonwriter toyed with his rivals last week and gets a similar crew to face off with again today. Top call.” Also in that preferred field are Pictonian Storm (To be driven by Marc Campbell) and Screen Test (Corey MacPherson).

Hungers Pangs drops out of the preferred ranks to be the top choice in the race 4 back-up pace carrying a $2,400 purse. Campbell is in the seat of the Blaine McKenna trainee for owner Susanne MacKeigan of Albert Bridge, N.S. The Pang Shui six-year-old has hit the board in both his seasonal starts. Other top entries include Ms Moyse (David Dowling) and Ubettimagoodone (Mark Bradley).

Wagering is available at both Red Shores locations starting at 12 Noon on race days. The Race Day broadcast will stream live at redshores.ca and Online wagering is available at HPIBet.com.

For entries, click here.

by Nicholas Oakes, for Red Shores