Ten dashes and 70 horses are carded for Sunday at Truro Raceway for an exciting and entertaining afternoon of fun.
Several ship-ins from Cape Breton, along with visiting teamster Dale Spence from Prince Edward Island, are sure to add a lively dimension to the program.
Post-time is 1 p.m. Qualifying rounds are slated for 11:45 a.m.
Winter dates added
Three race dates have been added to the 2018 Truro Raceway winter meet.
The fall program is scheduled to end on Sunday Dec. 17. Following a three-week break from live racing, Truro Raceway will come back to host a three-card winter program on Jan. 7, 14, and 21 with a post-time of 1 p.m.
Bittersweet for Bagelman
Tomorow afternoon the 14-year-old pacer, Bagleman, owned and trained by Bob Collette, will go to the gate for the final time in his impressive career.
This keen and athletic competitor boasts a distinguished resume with 409 starts, a life’s best of 151.2 and career earnings of $378,548.
Great-gaited and durable Bagelman ends his racing life to jump into a new retirement career as a pleasure horse. The bay gelding will be retiring to a stable in Old Barns with horsewoman Shelly Whidden.
Sunday, Dec. 17, the Truro Harness Horse Owners Association and Truro Raceway will be partnering for a trackside retirement and good luck ceremony and presentation to honour not only Bagelman but also two other 14-year-old standardbreds retirees, Intrepidus and Sharon The Moment.
Fresh stock for Laffin
Ernie Laffin’s stable is taking on a fresh dynamic this fall with the addition of a pair young prospects out the Atlantic Classic Yearling Sale, Charlottetown.
Feelin Haggard, a yearling gelding son of Stonebridge Terror and stablemate Libertys Dream by P E sire, Malicious, will headline the Laffin camp for 2018.
Moving on
Several of our local equine competitors are furthering their careers and moving into new venues and stables, including the three-year-old princess of the Maritime filly circuit, Elektra Express.
Bred and raised by Ryan and Danica Ellis of Brookfield, Eleketra Express has been sold to Allard Racing Stable, Aycon Stable and How's That Stables, currently campaigning at Yonkers Raceway.
N Expense, previously owned by the Ramsay Racing Stable, is now in Flamboro for new Ontario connection Carl Kuepfer. Big Joe Dobey, owned by Joe Janega of Cape Breton, and Gordon McCabe's Gold Record are also campaigning out of Flamboro for conditioner Teesha Symes.
McCabe sold a second filly, Putnams Fire, to Charles (Chuck) Symes of Springhill, also at Flamboro.
Top of the Turn special
Festive roast turkey dinner with all the trimmings: $15.95 (includes tea/coffee and dessert)
Rapid fire with Clayton Stevens
(1,281 lifetime starts, 128 victories, $102,298 purse earnings)
1. Other than Truro Raceway, favourite track to drive at: Red Shores, Summerside
2. Favorite food: Chinese or pork chops
3. Favorite TV show/channel or movie: Horse racing channel
4. Least favourite barn chore – Shoeing
5. What non-horsey activity do you enjoy: Hunting
Chase the Ace
Ace of Spades still in the deck with 23 cards left. Jackpot stands a $7,652.
Dec. 3 winner: Sonny Siteman ($275).
Today at the track
Simulcast action kicks off today at 12:30 p.m. with Red Shores, Charlottetown continuing throughout the afternoon and evening with a full slate of throughbred and harness tracks.
Diane Daniels is a Standardbred Canada field representative
