The stage is now set for this year’s Governor’s Plate following a set of $5,000 eliminations on Sunday afternoon at Summerside Raceway

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Proven Lover won as he pleased in the opening split for trainer/driver Phil Pinkney, who rolled the six-year-old son of Real Desire to a 1:56.3 score for partners Walter Simmons of Summerside and Casey Gavin of Tignish, PEI.

Seannee Lad (Norris Rogers) parked Proven Lover to the quarter pole in :28.2 before releasing that foe to the front. Once in charge of the tempo, Proven Lover supplied the field with middle fractions of :56.3 and 1:26.1. He only needed a :30.2 final frame to win by 4-1/4 lengths over St Pete Star (Danny Romo). Third prize went to Pans O Silver (Brodie MacPhee), and C L Eighty (Kenny Arsenault) was fourth.

Sent off as the 1-5 favourite in the eight-horse affair, Proven Lover improved his 2010 record to 3-7-2 in 24 starts with the win. He has banked in excess of $70,000 this season and more than $374,000 to date.

Carnivore was treated to a pocket trip in his elimination, and that helped him secure a 1:55.1 triumph for the tandem of driver Earl Smith and trainer Earl Watts. Smith rolled the four-year-old son of Real Desire to the early lead, and they had a two-length lead on the field at the quarter pole in :27.4. Rather than tussle, Smith allowed Outlawpositivcharg (Terry Gallant) to the lead in the second quarter, and that speedball hit the half in :57.2 while feeling outside pressure from P H Bestman (Mike Stevenson).

This year’s Walter Dale Memorial winner kept the pressure on Outlawpositivcharg to the three-quarter pole in 1:26.2, but the battling leaders both gave way to Carnivore who used a :28.3 final frame to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:55.1. P H Bestman was second and race favourite Outlawpositivcharg was third. Hilo (Danny Romo) rounded out the top four finishers.

Sent off as the 3-1 third choice in the wagering, Carnivore notched his first win since being purchased by the Lucky Seven Stable of North Wiltshire, PEI. The victory was the fourth of the season for the 12-time winner, who has stashed away more than $568,000 in career earnings.

The top four finishers from each of the eliminations will advance to the $16,000 final of the Governor’s Plate at Summerside Raceway. The final is scheduled for Saturday, July 17.

To view Sunday’s results, click here.