05/10/2026
Historic 2026 Season Set For Red Shores
By Nicholas Oakes For Red Shores
CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – Red Shores and the PEI Harness Racing Industry Association are proud to announce a slate of major events and exciting changes for the 2026 racing season, highlighted by the introduction of a brand-new Old Home Week signature event, adjustments to the Gold Cup & Saucer post parade, and the continued growth of premier stakes and invitational racing on Prince Edward Island.
Red Shores is also proud to announce that the 2025-2026 racing meet concluded as the most successful in the organization’s history. Total wagering from all sources on live racing at Red Shores Charlottetown and Summerside exceeded $10.2 million for the first time, representing a 14 per cent increase over last year and a 10 per cent jump from the previous record set during the 2023-2024 season.
The season was defined by massive crowd engagement and historic performances on the track. The 2025 Governor’s Plate at Red Shores Summerside set another wagering high, marking the fourth consecutive year of record wagering for the historic event, while the 2025 Old Home Week celebrations at Red Shores Charlottetown attracted large crowds throughout the week and more than 20,000 fans on Gold Cup & Saucer night.
With a brand new state-of-the-art video toteboard in the Red Shores Charlottetown centrefield, the 2026 racing season will once again feature a strong lineup of major events beginning early in the campaign with the Cecil Ladner Memorial Invitational on June 13 at Red Shores Charlottetown, the first invitational event of the season, showcasing Atlantic Canada’s top pacing stars. That night will also feature the kick off of the first leg of the Atlantic Aged Pacing Mares Series.
The Atlantic Regional Driving Championship is scheduled for Tuesday, June 23 at Red Shores Summerside and will mark the conclusion of the regional competitions, with the top two drivers earning a chance to represent Canada at the World Driving Championship.
Drivers scheduled to compete in the Atlantic Regional Driving Championship include Gilles Barrieau, Marc Campbell, Mike Downey, Paul Langille, Keith Legge, Corey MacPherson, Zach Mullins and Mark Pezzarello.
The 2026 Governor’s Plate week is slated from July 12-18 at Red Shores Summerside culminating in the $50,000 Governor’s Plate Final, presented by Summerside Chrysler Dodge during a special 5 P.M. Supercard at the Prince County oval.
The popular P.E.I. C**t Stakes Graduate Series presented by the P.E.I. Standardbred Breeder’s Association in partnership with new sponsor Red Shores, continues to spotlight the region’s rising stars and developing talent. Nominations for the series are due June 9 at the Red Shores race office.
During Old Home Week celebrations in Charlottetown, Red Shores and the PEI Harness Racing Industry Association are proud to unveil a brand-new signature event — The Sapphire, presented by the Fox Group.
The Sapphire will be contested on August 17 during Old Home Week for a $30,000 purse per division. To be eligible for The Sapphire, mares must make a minimum of two starts in Atlantic Canada leading into the event in accordance with conditions for the Atlantic Aged Pacing Mares Series conditions.
Old Home Week will also feature the Birthplace of Confederation event in honour of Wilma MacLure presented by the City of Charlottetown.
Red Shores is also announcing changes to the traditional Gold Cup & Saucer post parade for 2026, with an emphasis on enhancing safety for both horses and drivers while preserving the prestige and pageantry of Canada’s signature harness racing event.
“The safety of the horses and drivers is our number one priority,” said Lee Drake, Red Shores Manager Racing, Marketing & Sales. “We have heard from many trainers and drivers who feel the horses are out there too long. We feel we can keep all the prestigious components of the signature race and make it safer for the horses and drivers.”
Under the proposed changes, horses and drivers will leave the paddock and walk down the backstretch while the Island Hymn is being sung before entering the racetrack for introductions under the spotlight. Following their individual introductions, horses will have the opportunity to leave the track with their care teams under the supervision of the judges and paddock officials while the remaining starters are introduced.
The field will then return to the track for the traditional score down and warm-up prior to the start of the Gold Cup & Saucer final.
Sept. 5 will see a major event for locally produced talent with the $16,000 P.E.I. C**t Stakes Graduate Series Gold final for pacing horses and geldings.
The Premier’s Cup will return as one of the marquee events on the summer calendar at Red Shores as the culmination of the P.E.I. Invitational Series which will have eight events followed by the $50,000 final on Oct. 10. The Atlantic Classic Yearling Sale is set for 11 A.M., on Oct. 9 at the Crapaud Exhibition Grounds in Crapaud, P.E.I., followed by a dazzling Oct. 10 card starting at 5 P.M., which will host the Premier’s Cup, the $16,000 Island Ocean’s Trot Final, presented by Burkie By The Bay Stables, the $50,000 Standardbred Canada Atlantic Aged Pacing Mares final and $12,000 finals of the P.E.I. C**t Stakes Graduates Series Grassroots divisions.
In conjunction with the 60th anniversary of the Atlantic Standardbred Breeder’s Association, the Atlantic Breeder’s Crown Weekend of Champions will be hosted a week earlier this year with consolation races on Oct. 3 and the Atlantic Breeder’s Crown finals on Oct. 4. The Championship weekend will be presented by the P.E.I. Standardbred Horse Owner’s Association starting in 2026. There will be no racing on Thanksgiving Sunday Oct. 11 this year.
The Home Hardware Maritime Breeder’s Stakes hit the track Oct. 15 for the trotters at Red Shores Charlottetown and Oct. 17 with the two and three-year-old pacers, sponsored by Metro Home Building Centre and High Tide Home Hardware Building Centres.
Additional announcements surrounding the 2026 racing calendar and stakes conditions can be found on the Red Shores website.
