We spent our last working “nose to the grindstone, it's a tough job but someone's got to do it” night on PEI at the Charlottetown Driving Park and Entertainment Centre (a interminable name for a horse racing track if there ever was one).

None of the three of us had ever been to a racetrack and, truth be told, in all of our combined 120-some years had not missed the experience. Apart from the occasional lottery ticket we're not gamblers and the whole horse-racing scene seemed to be so “mid 20th century modern” (a re-branded way of saying “something from the 1950's”) . We're not alone in our antipathy. Tracks across North America are struggling to attract visitors.

But when we found ourselves the owners, if only for an evening, of a champion racing horse our attitude swung 180 degrees. Experience PEI is a company that's tapped into the island's unique character by putting together packages that give visitors very special access to local businesses, and artists. They offered us a chance to experience their “Owner For An Evening” package and with some hesitation we signed on.

Was it worth it? Let me put it this way. They don't call horse racing the sport of kings for nothing! For 4 hours on that Friday night we were treated like royalty. Our host Lee Drake gave us a tour of the historical site, took us down to the paddock where we met “our” horse – Mercury Hall (who, shamelessly stealing from John Stewart, I started to referring to as “the Old Campaigner, Big Merc”) and his driver Doug MacGregor.

Later we settled in to a stellar buffet while watching the races. That Saturday in August will always remain as one of the highlights of our travels. The colours - the green grass of the infield, the brilliant white judges tower and the gray rock dust track, the sounds – pounding hooves and cheering fans and the taste of the clam chowder – absolute bliss!

Did our horse win? Watch the video to find out. Did we bet on him? Of course! But don't tell Revenue Canada. We didn't declare the $8.25 haul.

NB: The next night we went back to being private citizens. What a strange experience. After a week of being feted and coddled, and especially after the previous night, literally being treated like kings (OK – one king two queens) we suddenly plunged back to reality. No video cameras, no tour guides or hosts, no shooting schedule – Just the three of us out for a final supper on the island. For the most part we ate in silence. Each of us reflecting on the events, places and especially the people we'd met in the last week.

Our trip to Prince Edward Island was a vacation without parallel and the final experience – our night as the owner of a race horse at the Charlottetown Driving Park and Entertainment Centre (I couldn't resist typing it out in full one more time) was the perfect “high note” to end it on.

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