Gold Cup and Saucer Trials: Mark Ford brings Covered Bridge, Funatthebeach N to compete in Charlottetown
CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — With rail control in the ALC Gold Cup and Saucer Trial 2 on Aug. 12, owner Mark Ford says Covered Bridge is a probable favourite to make the final but is taking nothing for granted.
The first two $12,500 trials will head postward on Aug. 12 during a 15-dash program starting at 4 p.m. The top three from each trial will earn a berth in the $100,000 final while the final three horses will be decided during Trial 3 on Aug. 14 with that card starting at 7 p.m. at Red Shores Charlottetown.
Ford, who operates a stable and large training centre in New York, has raced in the Gold Cup and Saucer many times before, when best friend Mike MacDonald would take his horses to compete in the East Coast Classic. This year he has returned with the duo of Covered Bridge, a winner of $386,000 in 2023, as well as Funatthebeach N, who has earned $187,000 so far this season and will leave from post 4 in Trial 1. Both horses are trained by Cape Breton native Jeff Gillis, who stables at Ford’s training establishment, with Scott Young coming from Ontario to drive in the trials.
“When Mike got sick, I didn’t think I’d be back again,” Ford said. “But we always wanted to go back, and Jeff Gillis is from (Nova Scotia). Covered Bridge is a very nice horse, but he’s not an invitational pacer in the U.S. We could take him to Indiana and race the Dan Patch, be in an 11-horse field and probably not get any money – or go to P.E.I., have a great time and race him a couple times and hopefully make some money.”
Ford, who has served as a board member of the United States Trotting Association and president of the New Jersey Standardbred Horse Owner’s Association, was part of many debates on how to market the sport.
“I wish the people running racing in the States could spend one night there on Gold Cup Night. I come from a small town in West Virginia that we would count down the days every year until the fair came to town. This is the same thing. It’s the way harness racing should be there. It’s incredible how many people – all they talk about is Gold Cup, Gold Cup, Gold Cup. Plus, you guys have the best ice cream in the world and the best lobster.”
“I’m mesmerized by the quality of the people there. They’re terrific. Twin B Tuffenuff has been racing consistently around 1:51-1:52 in Charlottetown and has $16,000 made. That’s dedication. If anyone ever asks if Maritimers like harness racing, I’m going to show them his chartlines.” – Mark Ford
Ford said Covered Bridge was a top-level pacer in Yonkers, N.Y., earlier this season and then came up not right in the last leg of the Borgata series where he finished second, seeing his win streak snapped.
“He got his feelings hurt and hasn’t been quite the same since then,” Ford said. “And Funatthebeach N – don’t think he’s not a good horse. He is a very good horse. He has made a million dollars as an aged horse in New York. He’s won the Levy and the Battle of Lake Erie. You could make a case for six or seven (trial entries) to win the whole thing.”
Ford drove to P.E.I. to drop off his horses on Aug. 9 and hopes to return for the final but knows it’s not a certainty that either of his horses will advance past the trials. If they do, he hopes Jordan Stratton or one of the MacDonald brothers from Kingston, P.E.I., can be there to drive for him.
“Let’s cross one bridge at a time.”
Ford says regardless of what happens in the trials he can’t say enough good things about Island racing.
“I’m mesmerized by the quality of the people there. They’re terrific. Twin B Tuffenuff has been racing consistently around 1:51-1:52 in Charlottetown and has $16,000 made. That’s dedication. If anyone ever asks if Maritimers like harness racing, I’m going to show them his chartlines.”
