by Scott Waddell, public relations director, Exhibition Park

Saint John, NB — One of the best race cards so far this season will go this Saturday at Exhibition Park Raceway to close out the annual Exhibition week of racing. There will be over C$50,000 in purse money on the two cards, first of which gets underway at 1:00 p.m., with the next card slated to go immediately following.

Our main feature will be the final of the A.N.E Invitational Pace that sees eight of the top free for all pacers go head to head in the C$7,000 final.

This year’s race has been named in honor of the late Ingham Palmer, the Dean of Maritime Track Announcers and one of the most respected members of the harness racing community that we have ever known.

Bramalea Road, a winner last week of his elimination, will go as the post time favorite and leaves from post position four for Doug MacGregor. Yankee Leader, who won the other elimination last week, has drawn the outside post eight. Kenny Arsenault will drive the classy son of Artsplace for owner Hilliard Graves.

Other starters, in order of post, are Basin View Albert (Norris Rogers), Pondside Invader (Gordon Hennessey), Stickup Hanover (TBA), Chicane (Dr. Ian Moore), and Edgewater RB (Kurt Hughes).

Saturday also features Dunachton Gale in action in one of two “A” divisions in the Atlantic Sires Stakes for three-year-old pacing colts. Phil Pinkney will look to keep the win streak going as he is unbeaten this season in 10 starts.

Lotta Speed is favored in the other division.

Three-year-old pacing fillies will also be in action with Kissmelass, the top filly so far this season, headlining one of the top divisions.

Brydone N, the highly touted New Zealand pacer, makes his first start on North American soil after a qualifying trip last week for trainer/driver Gilles Barrieau in a time of 1:59³. He paced his final quarter in :28¹ in the prep. Northside Ventures of Fredericton own the five-year-old son of Fake Left.