By Nicholas Oakes For Red Shores
CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – A talented group of mares will square off in the $4,450 Race 10 feature Thursday evening at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park, with the filly sensation Badgirl Bridgette taking on seasoned rivals for her record setting trainer.
The 11-dash card kicks off at 6 P.M.
The champion daughter of Stonbridge Terror has dominated her sophomore campaign, and now trainer Bill Lanigan tests Badgirl Bridgette against older mares as she leaves from post 4 with Jason Hughes in the driver’s seat. She has already notched 11 wins from 14 starts this year and boasts over $97,000 in career earnings for owner-trainer Lanigan of Montague. The 94-year-old Lanigan has earned a distinction of his own after Badgirl Bridgette’s Maritime Breeder’s score. The trainer is now etched as the only 94-year-old trainer to ever win a stake race in the last 35 years of Canadian Harness Racing. Lanigan could very well be the oldest trainer to ever win a stakes race in Canadian History but inconsistent record keeping prior to 1990 makes that distinction difficult to verify. John Atkins of Alberta and Bill Megens of Ontario were both 92 when they trained stakes winners, a record beat last season by Lanigan during Badgirl Brigette’s rookie season.
Badgirl Bridgette square off against a strong Thursday group that includes My Happy Place (To be driven by Gilles Barrieau), Shake N Blake (Ken Murphy), Sweet Molly (David Dowling) and Get Answers (Marc Campbell).
The Post Time Picks sees the rising star as the one to beat.
“Badgirl Bridgette has put together an incredible three-year-old season and has the most wins and money on the page. Now she faces older mares but has been here before and with the Blue Knight at the wheel we’re calling for win number 12 on the season.”
Earlier on the card in Race 6, the $4,000 Open Trot features another marquee matchup between class veterans Buckhead Ridge (Marc Campbell) and Fight Song (Hughes). The pair have traded blows all season and although the Landon Campbell trained Buckhead Ridge has hit the winner’s circle more, it is the Ashley Gamester trained Fight Song that is immortalized on the CDP Track Record sign with his overall Atlantic Canadian trotting record of 1:54.3. Also in the field are Hallofaride (Ryan Desroche), Ripped And Ready (Brett Clow) and Whole Nother (Colin Sheppard).
Play at the track or from home through HPIBET.com, and visit Redshores.ca for the Race Day broadcast, programs, and more.
