Aboard his own pupil Ultimate Success and the Allan Earl Smith-trained Woodmere Fastball, Gilles Barrieau emerged victorious in both $10,600 Joe O’Brien Memorial Stake Gold divisions for three-year-old pacing colts

Wednesday night at Summerside Raceway.

In the first Gold division, odds-on favourite Ultimate Success cleared the lead after the :29-second opening quarter and then carved out the remaining panels of :59 and 1:28.2 while turning back a challenge from Porthill Galaxy (Marc Campbell). Using a :30.1 closing quarter, the Western Success-Mariart gelding leapt to a seven length advantage stopping the clock in 1:58.3.

Early leader Ellindale Rocket (Todd Trites) finished second off the pocket trip and Woodmere Finaldrop (Kenny Arsenault) came in third.

With the win, Ultimate Success improved his seasonal record to 8-4-2 in 16 starts and lifted his earnings to $33,147 for owners Robert Tilley, Lester Mott and Kelly Barrieau of Saint John, N.B.

Woodmere Fastball was a wire-to-wire winner in the second Gold split for owner David Lund of Moncton, N.B. The gelded son of Western Success-Costly Ball marched past intervals of :28, :58.3 and 1:27.3 en route to a four length 13-1 upset, also timed in 1:58.3.

The winner’s stablemate Kingofthecastle (Allan Earl Smith) moved three-wide at three-quarters and came on for second while Calmlee Jason (Carl Isnor) rounded out the top three.

The victory was Woodmere Fastball’s second of the year in 18 starts and bumped his earnings to $21,191.

Trained by George McGuigan for Walter Simmons of Summerside, P.E Professorsdapapers (Gary Chappell) front-stepped his way to five and a quarter length 1:59.1 triumph in his $6,750 Grassroots division while Seannee Lad (Norris Rogers) converted a pocket trip into a 1:59.4 half-length score over pacesetter Woodmere Bigsplash (Tood Trites) in the following split. Dale Sobey trains Seannee Lad for Kensington’s Janet Murphy.

Sophomore pacing fillies Darko and N Xample Deal each delivered on their parimutuel promises in their respective $11,600 Lady Slipper Stake Gold divisions.

Darko sought revenge on R Es Mary for snapping her five-race win streak in the Atlantic Breeders Crown on October 11 at Charlottetown Driving Park. With Kenny Arsenault in the bike, the daughter of Largo-Norwell Lilyharbor sat fourth while R Es Mary (Allan Earl Smith) fired off opening quarters of :28.4 and 1:00. Darko made her move during the third interval and claimed the lead as the field moved past three-quarters in 1:30. Using a :30-second final frame, Darko dashed home to prevail by four lengths in 2:00.

R Es Mary stayed for second and the pocket-sitting Woodmere Humdinger (Gilles Barrieau) was third.

Darko now sports a 2009 record reading 9-1-2 in 14 starts and earnings totaling $46,236 for trainer and owner Ralph Annear of Montague, P.E.I. Her 16th lifetime scored pushed her total bankroll over the $100,000 mark.

Atlantic Breeders Crown consolation winner N Xample Deal and driver Norris Rogers carved out fractions of :29, 1:01.3 and 1:31.4 without facing any serious challengers en route to a 2:02.1 score by three and a half lengths.

Co-favourite Elm Grove Dallas (Robert MacInnis) came on for second and Longworth Midnight (Jason Hughes) was third.

The N Xample-Samantha Deal miss is trained by Hughie Murphy for owner Molly Murphy of Borden-Carleton, P.E.I. N Xample Deal now boasts six wins this season with three seconds and six thirds in 18 outings giving her $25,271 in purse earnings.

Two $7,500 Lady Slipper Stake Grassroots divisions for three-year-old pacing fillies were also featured on Wednesday’s card and produced a pair of mild 4-1 upsets. Waterside Lucky front-stepped her way to a two length score in 2:01.4 for trainer Kenny Arsenault and owner Naomi Graves of Charlottetown, P.E.I. while favourite Woodmere Real Drop (Mark Bradley) was the runner-up. Miss Her (Gary Chappell), trained by Stacey Lund and owned by Daniel Ross of Belfast, P.E.I., converted a pocket trip into a 2:01.2 score upsetting favourite Mom Sez Im Pretty (Marc Campbell) by a quarter length.

To view Wednesday's harness racing results, click here.