The biggest Invitational prize at Red Shores at the Summerside Raceway is within reach for new track record holder Roll Em and he will lay it all on the line in the 55th edition of the Governor’s Plate, presented by Summerside Chrysler Dodge on Saturday (July 15).
The premier program starts off at 6 p.m. with 16 dashes on tap including the $35,000 Governor’s Plate Invitational Final in the last race of the night to close down 2023 Governor’s Plate Week.
Roll Em was phenomenal in elimination action, shaving three-fifths of a second off the overall Red Shores Summerside track record with a 1:51.1 victory for trainer-driver Marc Campbell and owners Brady Doyle, Brent Campbell, Ryan MacLeod and the Savage Stable. The 22-time winner will have to do his work from post seven in the historic race with lots of firepower to contend with across the starting gate.
Front-end specialist American Risk (Todd Trites) holds down the pylons from the George Rennison barn while the versatile Rollwithhottytoddy has post two for driver Myles Heffernan Sr., and trainer Trevor Hicken. After being collared in his elimination, Twin B Tuffenuff will look for redemption from post three in line to Gilles Barrieau for trainer Ron Matheson.
Matticulous GB closed hard to win his Governor’s Plate elimination for the team of driver Ken Murphy and trainer Colin Johnson and has post four Saturday. The runner-up from that elimination, Batterup Hanover (Paul Langille), has post five.
Former Atlantic Sires Stakes star Stash It Away (Corey MacPherson) gets post six for trainer Kevin MacLean with Vino Louie (Dale Spence) shouldered with post eight for conditioner Anthony Stymest.
The Backstretch Beat is going with the favourite Roll Em on top.
“Usually drawing post seven on a half-mile track is not a good thing but this could work out perfectly in Roll Em’s favour. American Risk and Rollwithhottytoddy can both leave hard and with them holding down post one and two an opening quarter in :26 and change is not out of the question before the dust settles. He will not have an easy journey but he likes to grind away and will have speed to chase so this could be setting up for Summerside’s first mile in 1:50 and change. This is going to be a great race and could have some serious surprises.”
The $10,000 Bob Dewar Memorial Governor’s Plate consolation lines up in Race 9 with Ys Mathis (Campbell) the early favourite from post four against the Jennifer Doyle-trained duo of Mantario (Heffernan) and No Plan Intended (David Dowling).
The card also featured Atlantic Sires Stakes action for three-year-old pacing colts with $15,300 'A' divisions in Races 7 and 11 and $4,000 'B' divisions in Races 2 and 4.
Race 15 is the $6,000 Ruby Chappell Memorial for Open Pacing Mares. Share The Moment (Barrieau) is the top selection from the rail with seven rivals including Dreamfair Zenfire (Campbell) and Sugar Bowl (Adam Merner).
The signature race card will include the Isle Pick 5 starting in Race 1 with a $1,500 guaranteed pool. Customers can also play two classic Super Hi-5s in Races 5 and 16 as well as the Pick 4 in Races 13 through 16, with all of these pools featuring industry-low 15 percent takeouts.
Expert handicapping picks and ticket suggestions from Dawn Lupul and the recent All-Star Handicapping champion Robert Reid Jr. will also be available throughout the program. Watch for their selections on the Race Day broadcast and follow them on Twitter.
Customers playing Summerside through HPIbet.com and Xpressbet will be able to opt-in to a special promotion whereby they can earn an entry for every $5 wagered on Saturday’s program for a draw to win a VIP trip for two to the Gold Cup and Saucer signature event in Charlottetown on August 19.
For more information about the Governor’s Plate program, please visit the Player’s Portal at redshores.ca. To view the entries for Saturday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Saturday Entries - Red Shores Summerside.
(Red Shores)