A pair of $5,000 eliminations for the Maritime Breeders Stakes for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings garnered the spotlight during Sunday’s (Oct. 14) 11-race live program at Truro Raceway.
Despite a seven-hole start and having been hindered by interference off of the starting gate, the Darryl Maclean-trained and Marc Campbell-driven Notorious ($7.40) put forth a convincing win in the first elimination (Race 6). The brown son of Malicious came first-up in the third quarter and went on to record a two-length victory in 2:00.2.
After opening splits of :30.2 and 1:01.2, Campbell launched his gelded mount first up and was within a nose of the leading A Grand Terror (who was driven by Gilles Barrieau) at the 1:31 three quarters pole. Continuing to excel off of his head of steam, Notorious went on to record the victory, which was his fifth win in what was his eleventh career start. He has now banked over $32,000 and has finished off the board just once.
After having worked out a two-hole trip through the fractions, the Adam Merner-driven Dusty Lane Cortez held on for second. A Grand Terror, who had also suffered interference early on, held on for a game third after having been tested twice in the mile.
Notorious is owned by Darryl Maclean and Gordon Maclean of Winsloe, P.E.I. and Shirley Symes of Springhill, Nova Scotia.
The second of the Maritimes Breeders Stakes elims (Race 9) was also captured by an off-the-pace attacker, as the Robert Phillips-trained and Marc Campbell-driven Purple Poet ($5.30) came first-up in the second quarter and excelled off of an overland trip to score a two and three-quarter-length victory in 2:00.
Campbell and the Stonebridge Terror colt were fifth after their Post 6 start, but were on the move in good time, as they tipped for a shot at the point after the :29.2 opening quarter. Campbell and Purple Poet raced just off the flank of Woodmere Bolt (Earl Smith) as the half-mile timer flashed to life in 1:01.
Smith continued to play hardball in the third quarter, as he still had Campbell and Purple Poet on the outside by the time he clicked off the third clock in 1:30.4.
Purple Poet would not be denied, though, as he and Campbell shot to a two and a half-length lead at the head of the lane and went on to post the two and three-quarter-length victory.
Woodmere Bolt held on to finish second/ Mall Peen Hammer (Kenny Arsenault), who had started from Post 8 and raced second over, finished third, four lengths in arrears of the victor.
Purple Poet, who is a homebred of Kevin Harvey (of Hammonds Plains, NS), has now won four of 11 starts and over $16,000 in purses.
The co-featured Winners Over Pace, which was programmed as Race 10 and offered a purse of $1,675, was won by the Paul Langille-trained and Gilles Barrieau-driven Preceptor ($3.20) who turned a pocket trip into a 10-length romp in 1:57.4. The five-year-old Vintage Master gelding is owned by Rosanne Langille of Lower Onslow, NS.
The afternoon card proved to be a successful one for trainer George Rennison, who made three trips to the winner’s circle. Gilles Barrieau and Marc Campbell each recorded driving triples.
To view the harness racing results for Sunday at Truro, click the following link: Sunday Results – Truro Raceway.