Sophomore stakes action highlighted Sunday afternoon's harness racing card at Truro Raceway.

Rock N Roll Cays (pictured above) and driver Ken Murphy opened the 2023 Atlantic Sires Stakes season with a 1:55.4 lifetime-best score in the first leg for pacing fillies that was comprised of two $9,020 'A' divisions.

Rock N Roll Cays secured a pocket trip behind the favoured Saulsbrook Mabel (Gilles Barrieau) as those two forged ahead of first-turn breaker Gosistersoulsister (Brodie MacPhee). After fractions of :28.2, :58.1 and 1:27.2 when first-over challenger Rosetown Mary (Corey MacPherson) stalled on the final turn, Rock N Roll Cays pounced from the pocket to hand Saulsbrook Mabel her first career loss, prevailing by a half-length. Elm Grove Redwine (David Dowling) closed for third, finishing 2-1/4 lengths behind.

Fresh off a victory in the PEI Colt Stakes at Summerside Raceway last month, Rock N Roll Cays paid $7.70 to win as the 5-2 third choice.

Jeff Holmes trains the Tobago Cays-Tymal Xtra filly, who has finished no worse than second in a dozen career starts -- mostly stakes races -- while earning $44,738 for Hardcore Racing of Belfast, P.E.I.

The other 'A' division was won by Woodmere Heather M, who parked last year's Atlantic Breeders Crown divisional champion and heavy favourite Our Girl Annie (Corey MacPherson) through fractions of :27.4, :57.2 and 1:27 then held off the pocket-pulling Itsuptoyou (Gilles Barrieau) at the end of the 1:57.2 mile for the half-length victory. Next In Line (Jason Hughes) was next across the line, taking third-place over Our Girl Annie.

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Brodie MacPhee drove the Malicious-For All We Know filly to her first stakes win, paying $14.70 at the betting windows. 

Tom Weatherbie trains Woodmere Heather M for Next Generation Stable of Stratford, P.E.I. The victory was the filly's second from 20 starts and a new lifetime mark.

A pair of $4,000 'B' divisions went to front-end favourite Saulsbrook Abbey -- now undefeated in two starts, her latest in 1:58 -- for driver Corey MacPherson and trainer Saul Lanigan, and 23-1 upsetter Woodmere Macerena, who broke her maiden in 1:59 after a dozen races for trainer/driver Paul Langille. 

Saulsbrook Ian headlined the sophomore colt stakes action, winning the $13,980 Phil Pinkney Memorial in a five-length romp. 

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Corey MacPherson had the Betterthancheddar-Atlanta Girl gelding on the point though fractions of :27.2, :57 and 1:25.2 en route to the career-best victory in 1:53.2 for trainer Jamie Smith and Red Oak Stables of Charlottetown, P.E.I. 

Saulsbook Ian paid $4.10 to win as the second choice. Slight favourite Malignity (Paul Langille) finished second with Fishermans Son (Walter Walker) well back in third.

After being inducted into the New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday night, Gilles Barrieau continued to add to his resume, with a driving double putting his career win count at 5,056.

Darren Crowe, Dale Spence, Paul Langille, Corey MacPherson and Ken Murphy also ended the 14-race card with driving doubles.

To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Truro Raceway.