Governor’s Plate Week kicks off this Sunday afternoon (July 4) with an exceptional 11-race card at Red Shores at Summerside Raceway.
The program features a pair of eliminations for the 53rd running of the Governor’s Plate presented by Summerside Chrysler Dodge, with all the action starting off at 1 p.m.
The afternoon also features the popular Harness The Hope fundraiser, with proceeds benefitting the oncology department at the Prince County Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital and the Canadian Cancer Society of PEI.
The first $5,000 elimination (race 10) sees Gold Cup and Saucer champion Time To Dance look ingfor his first Governor’s Plate title. Trainer Marc Campbell drives the 21-time winner from post 1 for Matt McDonald and Brent Campbell. GA Speed Sammy has the outside post 6, but has knocked off Time To Dance already this year for driver David Dowling and trainer Colin Johnson.
Also in the first elimination are Blood Money (Mitchell Downey), Screen Test (Corey MacPherson), Rose Run Quest (Walter Cheverie), Mc Pat (Gilles Barrieau) and Harry G (Ernie Laffin).
The Backstretch Beat in Sunday’s card places Time To Dance as the dominant entry:
“We don’t want to say it, but with post 1 and the dominant way, Time To Dance won his last two we have little choice. Next.”
The second $5,000 elimination (race 11) sees Day Delight installed as the morning line favourite from post 2 with Barrieau driving his trainee for owners Wayne MacRae, Lloyd Stone, Howmac Farms Ltd. and Victor Puddy. Th3 son of Bettors Delight was a 1:55.1 victor his last time out.
Another 1:55.1 winner in his last start is Woodmere Ideal Art, who starts from post 5 with Todd Trites aboard for the Ultimate Stable. Woodmere Ideal Art and Little Manny (Stephen Trites, post 1) will vie to become the first Island-bred horse to win the prestigious Governor’s Plate since Dunachton Gale in 2007.
Defending champion Bugsy Maguire has post 4 in that elimination for driver Brodie MacPhee, trainer Wade Sorrie and owner Walter Simmons.
Other entrants are Avatar J (Kenny Arsenault), Panimal Kingdom (Dowling), Imalookertoo (Campbell) and Cowboy Logic (Steven Shepherd).
The Backstretch Beat puts Woodmere Ideal Art on top of the second elimination:
“There is no two ways about it, 1:55 over Saint John is an absolutely massive trip. We saw how this guy upped his game for the Gold Cup and Saucer last year, so we’re going to buck the 8-1 morning line odds and treat this 23-time winner as the one to beat.”
The card also features a pair of $3,200 Ruby Chappell Memorial Open mares eliminations.
For more information, go to Redshores.ca and wager online at HPIBet.com. On-track wagering opens at 11 a.m. on Sunday.
To view Sunday's complete entries, click the following link: Sunday Entries – Red Shores Summerside.
(Red Shores)