Always a bridesmaid, never a bride has been the story of Starcastic’s 2016 season, but that could all change in the Thursday evening (July 28) feature at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
First race post time is 6:30 p.m. for the 12-dash program with Starcastic labelled as the morning line favourite in the race 11 feature for a $2,100 purse. Ron Matheson will handle the driving duties of the four-year-old Allamerican Native gelding for trainer Jackie Matheson and owners Bobbi Jo Gaudet of Charlottetown and Billy MacKenzie of Stratford, P.E.I. Finishing a bang-up second in his latest outing in 1:55, Starcastic has four seconds and three thirds from eight seasonal starts, but has yet to hit the winner’s circle in 2016. Race analyst Les MacIsaac sees that all changing Thursday evening for the post three starter.
“The way he’s been racing this year, seven times in the top three from eight starts, it’s hard to believe he hasn’t won,” MacIsaac said of Starcastic. “He’s no stranger to the winner’s circle since he was there seven times last year and sooner than later he’ll put it all together.”
The featured event will also see Casimir Luciano try to upset Starcastic to add to his two-race win streak for driver Marc Campbell and trainer Ralph Sweet from post six, while post two has Carnivore with Dale Spence in the bike for trainer Marvyn Webster fresh off a 1:56.2 victory over the Summerside Raceway.
Other entries include My Lucky Killean (Ken Murphy), Brodys Leona (Corey MacPherson), Cambest Kisser (Jason Hughes), Bazillion (Brian MacPhee) and Motorino (Terry Gallant).
The Open trotters will face off in race six on the card with Osprey Impact the classifier’s choice from post seven for driver Walter Cheverie and owner/trainer Paul Larabee of Belle River, P.E.I. The Federal Flex mare was a 1:58.4 winner her last start in Charlottetown and will go toe-to-toe with post three starter Freddie, who was a recent winner in 1:59 with young Ryan Desroche in the bike, but will be reunited with trainer Marc Campbell at the lines for Three Wisemen Stable of Cornwall, P.E.I. Wedgewood (Gary Chappell) and Majian Chester (Jim Ripley) are also among those favoured in the field of eight.
To view Thursday's harness racing entries, click on the following link: Thursday Entries - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(With files from Red Shores)