Shadow Place, sent off at odds of 10-1, pounced on the speedy tempo set by 2-5 favourite Always At My Place to take the $60,000 58th renewal of the Sobey's Gold Cup & Saucer in 1:53.2.
Launching to the top, Always At My Place took control from Sapphire City and the two were lengths ahead of Crombie A pacing in third through a :27.1 opening quarter. Always At My Place soon gained separation heading to the half as Sapphire City faltered in the pocket, forcing the backfield to move wide off a :54.3 half.
Always At My Place remained in front by open lengths over Crombie A, who moved into second, and Arque Hanover from first over passing the three-quarters, timed in 1:24.1.
Shadow Place, positioned second over around the final turn, tipped three wide moving to the top of the stretch and flew down the center of the track to grab the lead from Always At My Place in the final strides, winning by a length over Always At My Place, Arque Hanover, and Crombie A.
Winning his sixth race in 28 starts this year, Shadow Place, a six-year-old gelding by Shadow Play from the Artsplace mare Loving Place, competes for the interests of trainer Robert Kyle Fellows and Carl Stafford. Earning $282,778 in his career, Shadow Place, paying $22.00 to win, gave driver Gilles Barrieau his fourth win in the Gold Cup & Saucer, as well as trainer Robert Kyle Fellows his one-hundredth training victory.
"I was sitting sixth and thinking 'wow, I'm going to pick up some pieces here,'" Gilles Barrieau said. "I never dreamt I would win it, but coming around the top turn, I saw that I was going to be second here, and he kept closing in hard and I kept working him, so it's just a thrill. Mid-stretch, I certainly thought I was getting there.
"I never dreamt I'd beat Marc [Campbell's] horse [Always At My Place] really. I thought if I got a third, a fourth, or a second I'd be real happy. This is my best [Gold Cup & Saucer win] because, coming in, the other three were favourites or close to being favorites and this horse wasn't necessarily supposed to win, so that makes it so much sweeter."
To view Saturday's evening harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.
On the Saturday matinee, two $6,200 divisions of the Joe O’Brien Memorial for three-year-old colt pacers highlighted the 13-race card.
J K Rocket swept to the lead on the final circuit and battled off all challengers to take the first division in 2:00.3.
Odds-on favourite Twomaconeshadow grabbed control through a :29.4 quarter before yielding to J K Rocket’s first-over brush from fifth after a 1:00.4 half. Southfield Speedy, tracking J K Rocket, was left uncovered moving down the backstretch and managed to take a narrow lead at three-quarters in 1:31.1 before J K Rocket reclaimed control and kicked away to a length-and-three-quarter lead heading to the line. Twomacsoneshadow finished second and Redwhiteandboots rallied up the inside for third.
Competing for owner-trainer Joseph Smallwood, J K Rocket, by Ameripan Gigolo from the Camluck mare Jk Luck, won his second race in seven starts, earning $4,607. Driven by Alan Earl Smith, he paid $24.10 to win.
J J Tanner grinded to a 2:00 victory in the second division as the 2-5 favourite.
Getting away fourth, J J Tanner pulled first over after a :29.1 quarter and progressed to challenge pacesetter Libertys Choice off a :59.2 half. Edging to the front through a 1:29.1 third quarter, J J Tanner battled to maintain control through the stretch, with Windemeredancenart rushing wide and Libertys Choice to the inside. J J Tanner held a half-length lead on the line over Windemeredancenart and Libertys Choice.
A gelding by Articulator from the E Dees Cam mare Fritzel Hanover, J J Tanner won his fourth race in 15 starts, earning $11,108 for owners Kevin Harvey and trainer Robert Phillips. Driven by Gilles Barrieau, he paid $2.70 to win.
To view Saturday's afternoon harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results – Charlottetown Driving Park.
Removed from bucket list. My
Removed from bucket list. My first trip to CDP, and, it was special, watching James MacDonald win the WDC, followed by the Saturday Gold Cup and Saucer (despite brutal Saturday weather). They do it right, and fun to be in an atmosphere where harness racing is important. Would highly recommend to any racing fan.
Congratulations to all
Congratulations to all involved.