Four $7,955 divisions of the Donnie & George Turner Stakes for three-year-old pacers were the highlight of the Sunday, September 24 program of racing at Truro Raceway.

The fillies took the track before the boys, as the distaff divisions went postward as Race 4 and Race 7.

The Sean Dooley-trained and Kenny Arsenault-driven Kinda Like Her ($3.80) prevailed in the first of the filly tests, as the odds-on choice paced a front-end mile and notched a three-quarters-of-one-length victory in 1:59. The Ameripan Gigolo lass started from Post 4 and found herself second at the :28.2 quarter pole. Arsenault assumed the lead in the second panel, cut the middle fractions (:59, 1:29.4) and closed in :29.1 for the win. Glenview Paisley (Ernie Laffin) finished second and Winrlosedrnkdaboze (Todd Trites) was third under the wire. Kinda Like Her is owned by the Dooley Boys Racing Stable of Halifax, Nova Scotia.

The Marc Campbell-trained and driven Filly Forty Seven ($3.80) lived up to her odds-on status in Race 7, as the Proven Lover filly recorded a wire-to-wire win from Post 5 in a life’s best and new track record 1:55.2. The brown lass sliced the fractions in :28.2,:57.3 and 1:26.3 and capped things off with a :28.4 final quarter. Traces Of Purple (Gilles Barrieau) closed to finish second, while Woodmere Finesse (Danny Romo) finished third after having suffered broken equipment in the stretch. The win was the third consecutive score for Filly Forty Seven, who is owned by Darryl Maclean (Winsloe, PE), Katelyn Smallwood (Stratford, PE), Cory Carver (Montague, PE) and Tanya Tremblett (Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia). The mile lowered the previous track record for the division by two-fifths of a second (Elektra Express, 1:55.4).

After the ladies wrapped up their divisions, the male pacers took to the track for Race 10 and Race 13.

There was a slight upset in Race 4, as the Trevor Hicken-trained and Corey MacPherson-driven Tobinator ($7.60) was sent off as the third post-time choice and paced a gate-to-wire 1:56.4 mile from Post 2. The duo diced the speed in :27.3, :58.1 and 1:27.2 and closed things off with a :29.2 final quarter for a one-length victory. The post-time choice, Mighty Cowboy (Darren Crowe), finished second and Cowboys Dont Cry (Ryan Ellis) was third. Tobinator is a gelded son of Coastocoast Yankee that is owned by Robin Burke (Ten Mile House, PE), Luke Burke (Pleasant Grove, PE), Perry Burke (Grosse-Ile, QC) and Kent Livingston (Cornwall, PE).

The Robert Phillips-trained and Gilles Barrieau-driven JJ Tanner ($10.00) produced the biggest upset of the Turner divisions, as the Articulator gelding closed from fifth at the head of the lane to get up and notch a one-length victory in 1:58.1. Jdcyril (Danny Romo) also closed hard to finish second. Ryans Allstar (Corey MacPherson) also finished up his mile well and got up for third. Only one and three-quarter length separated the top five finishers at the wire. JJ Tanner is owned by Kevin Harve (Hammonds Plains, Nova Scotia) and Robert Phillips (South Pinette, PE).

A pair of Nova Scotia Stake divisions for trotters have helped kick off Truro Raceway’s Sunday stakes action.

The first of the Nova Scotia dashes, a $4,832 non-wagering affair for three-year-olds, took to the track before the afternoon’s pari-mutuel program. The three-horse field was compact to begin with, as just a field of three rolled behind the starting gate. The Post 3 starter, Majian Tango, was intent on the lead early, as his trainer/driver, James Ripley, raced the brown gelding wide to the :31.1 opening quarter, which was clicked off by Miss Neala Ridge (Carl Isenor). Majian Tango was again overland in second at the half-mile pole, which Majian Cash had breezed by in 1:04.1. Majian Tango assumed control of the lead before the 1:34.4 three-quarters call and led the shorted field into the stretch (Majian Cash had made a break at this point and was ultimately distanced). Filly Miss Neala Ridge (Mary Clare MacDonald) was still within striking distance in the lane, but she could not get up on Majian Tango, who went on to post a one-length victory in 2:04 (to view the charted results from the race, click here). Majian Tango is a three-year-old son of Tad The Stud that is owned by Marylea Ripley of Amherst, Nova Scotia.

The second of the Nova Scotia Stakes splits went postward as Race 2 on the afternoon’s pari-mutuel card. The dash featured a field of five juvenile trotters that was battling over a $5,674 purse. After having started from Post 3, the Gerald MacDougall-trained and Myles Heffernan-driven Ticked ($2.70) delivered on his pari-mutuel promise, although there were some tense moments for his connections and those that backed him at the windows. The two-year-old Armbro Barrister colt left from Post 3 and was ahead by five lengths when he spun off the opening quarter in :29.2. The proceedings appeared to be all wrapped up by the :59.2 half-mile pole, as Ticked had accumulated an 11-length lead. Although, the bay colt broke stride near the half, and it was enough to let some competitors back into the dash. Ticked’s lead was down to one and a half lengths by the time he froze the three-quarters of one-mile pole in 1:32.2. His lead was roughly the same at the head of the stretch, but he let his backers relax a bit through the lane, as he opened up more daylight and went on to post a four and three-quarter-length win in 2:03.4. Dora (Brian MacPhee) finished second and Majian Gilroy (James Ripley) was third. Ticked is owned by Myles Heffernan and Jackie Heffernan of Glace Bay, Nova Scotia.

To view the harness racing results for Sunday at Truro, click the following link: Sunday Results – Truro Raceway (Pari-Mutuel Program).