Article content“Then to win it the second time with Czar Seelster (in 2018), I wasn’t expecting that one – I wasn’t expecting that at all. Now to have Bounty Hunter in the final out of my own barn, it’s the first horse I ever trained in my own barn to race in the Governor’s Plate, which I’m really looking forward to that.”Article contentLess drivingArticle contentArsenault has cut back on driving recently. He no longer catch-drives and, this year, is only driving horses out of his own barn.Article contentArsenault added that this allows him to focus more time on training.Article content“And I’m not a young pup anymore either,” chuckled the 65-year-old Arsenault. “I just want to concentrate on my own horses, and I want to slow down a little bit.”Article contentWith 3,400 career driving wins, Arsenault recently won his 1,000th race as a trainer.Article content“It was an honour really because they’re all wins out of my own barn,” said Arsenault. “I trained them horses. I’ve seen them every day and to have 1,000 wins out of your own barn, it’s quite an accomplishment and I’m pretty proud of it.”Article contentArticle contentArsenault said there is definitely a sense of pride to work with Bounty Hunter every day during his recovery and see the success he is now having on the track.Article contentBut Arsenault is quick to give credit to Bounty Hunter.Article content“To nurse him back racing and for him to be in the Governor’s Plate, it’s quite an accomplishment for the horse,” said Arsenault, who added Bounty Hunter is all business come race day.Article content“All week you would never know he’s in the barn but when he knows he’s racing that night, he has a different routine and is really up for it,” said Arsenault. “He’s a real professional to tell you the truth.”Article content Driver Kenny Arsenault and Bounty Hunter, 4, are off and racing in one of two $9,000 Governor’s Plate eliminations at Red Shores at Summerside Raceway on July 13. Bounty Hunter qualified for the 57th edition of the $50,000 Governor’s Plate, presented by Summerside Chrysler Dodge, on July 19. Photo by Jason Simmonds /The GuardianArticle contentFieldArticle contentAsked his thoughts on the field, Arsenault said there are a lot of good horses to keep an eye on.Article content“The Miki (Shan N) horse, I think, is the horse to beat,” said Arsenault.Article contentJason Hughes will drive Miki Shan N after Marc Campbell drove the six-year-old bay horse by Always B Miki –Yankee Dream-Dream Away to a 1:51.4 win in the second elimination.Article contentArticle contentCampbell will drive Roll Em, holder of Summerside Raceway’s current track record of 1:51.1, from the coveted rail position.Article contentHigh Voltage Deo (Post 2), Miki Shan N (Post 4) and defending-champion Twin B Tuffenuff (Post 5), Tony Too Tall (Post 6), Blood Money (Post 7) and Middleton Terror (Post 8) round out the field.Article content“(Trainer) Brendan Curran’s horse (High Voltage Deo), he’s been racing fantastic,” said Arsenault. “He’s a horse that really has to be watched, too, in that race… And you can’t take out Ronnie Matheson’s horse, who has been a war horse for the last four years, Twin B Tuffenuff. He’s just a super horse.”Article contentWeatherArticle contentWith hot temperatures forecasted again for race day, Arsenault was asked if the heat affected Bounty Hunter during the afternoon eliminations.Article content“He was sweating quite a bit warming up and I was a little concerned about that,” said Arsenault. “But it didn’t seem to bother him at all in the race.”Article contentArticle contentJason Simmonds is the sports editor at The Guardian in Prince Edward Island. He can be reached at jsimmonds@postmedia.com and followed on X @JpsportsJason.Article content
Arsenault, Bounty Hunter author heart-warming story entering Governors Plate
