The overnight pacing queen retained her crown on Thursday, Nov. 20 as Badgirl Bridgette dominated her $4,650 Fillies and Mares Preferred 1 Pace rivals in the feature at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.

The three-year-old sensation was untouchable on the front as she seized the lead early from post one and never gave her rivals a sniff. With Jason “The Blue Knight” Hughes at the controls, Badgirl Bridgette ($3.10) rolled through splits of :28.3, :58 and 1:27.1 before kicking home in :28 to win by 3-1/4 lengths in 1:55.1. Rosetown Mary sat the pocket throughout from post two and stayed on for second for trainer-driver Corey MacPherson, while Brokeandoutofgas (Paul Langille) rallied up the passing lane to complete the triactor.

Badgirl Bridgette, a daughter of Stonebridge Terror-Whatabadgirl, is trained by 94-year-old conditioner Bill Lanigan. The victory gives her 13 wins on the season in 17 starts for owner Lanigan of Montague, P.E.I., and she is now 19-for-24 lifetime. The Preferred cheque added to her growing career bankroll of $135,708.          

Heavy favourite Buckhead Ridge ($2.30) was as advertised in the $4,200 Open Handicap Trot in Race 10 as he made every call a winning one. The Landon Campbell-trained trotter went straight to the front from post four for Marc Campbell, carved out fractions of :29.2, :59.3 and 1:30, and sprinted clear to win by four lengths in 1:59.1. Fight Song (Hughes) rallied to finish second out of third, while veteran Labero (Ken Murphy) rounded out the top three. 

The winning son of Nuncio-Tuonela is owned by Brady Doyle of Stratford, P.E.I. Buckhead Ridge has compiled a record of 17-for-24 this season and is 22-for-59 lifetime with $149,287 in earnings.

Landon Campbell doubled on the night with Galway Girl ($2.50) in the seventh race. The mare brushed to the lead and drew off to win in 1:59.2 for driver Marc Campbell.

Red Dirt Diamond ($16) stepped up with a mild upset in the $3,000 first leg of the Joe & Steven MacRae Memorial Fall Series for fillies and mares. Brett Clow had the five-year-old mare well-positioned early from post two, sitting the pocket behind pace-setting favourite Ubettimagoodone (Gilles Barrieau) through splits of :29.3, 1:00.3 and 1:31.3. Nearing the final turn, Red Dirt Diamond slid off the pylons, and she fought past the pacesetter to win by three-quarters of a length in 2:00.4 for owner-trainer Deanna Clow of New Haven, P.E.I. Elm Grove Nanci (Murphy) got up for second over Ubettimagoodone. The winning daughter of Source Of Pride-Oduya reached the winner's circle for the first time since mid-2023, taking her career record to two-for-70 and her earnings to $16,969.

The win was one of two on the 12-race card for trainer Clow as Sporty Spice ($4.70) powered away to a 1:57.4 victory in Race 4 with Ken Murphy in the bike.

The Early Pick 5 in Races 1-5 carried a monstrous payout as the combination of 2-2-2-4-1 returned $4,679.80.

Live racing continues on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. at Red Shores Charlottetown.

To view Thursday's harness racing results, click the following link: Thursday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.

(With files from Red Shores)