Lady Cafe Au Lait delivered a powerful closing kick to capture the $5,550 Fillies and Mares Preferred Pace on Thursday, May 14 in her first career appearance at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.

Driven by Paul Langille for trainer Earl Watts, Lady Cafe Au Lait was unhurried early from post four, dropping back to fifth while Lady Devine (Brady Sweet) carved out the opening fractions of :28.2 and :57.3. Sweet Molly (David Dowling) mounted first-over pressure down the backside to the 1:26.4 three-quarters, but Lady Cafe Au Lait was loaded with pace turning for home and stormed by rivals down the lane to score by three lengths in 1:55.2. Sweet Molly closed for second while Promise Me Later (Gilles Barrieau) completed the triactor. 

The winning four-year-old daughter of Big Jim-Lady Latte is owned by Windemere Farms of Springvale, P.E.I. along with Matt and David Burke of Stratford, P.E.I. Lady Cafe Au Lait, who shipped into Charlottetown from Ontario after her March 20 start, is now five-for-eight on the year and 12-for-45 lifetime with $226,152 in earnings. She paid $2.20 to win.

Redland Misspretty ($4.10) controlled the action in the $4,600 Fillies and Mares Preferred 3 Pace in the ninth race for driver Paul Langille and trainer Kyle Williams. The six-year-old Source Of Pride-Woodmere Nora mare cut the fractions of :28.4, :57.1 and 1:26.1 before stopping the clock in 1:55 for owners Brian MacGregor of Bedford, N.S., Rebecca Blaisdell of Inverness, P.E.I. and Howard Anderson of Trenton, N.S. Moon Bound (Dowling) was second by three-quarters of a length with Therealprincess (Mike Downey) third. Redland Misspretty won for the first time in two starts this year and improved to 17-for-79 lifetime with $73,846 in bankroll.

Driver Barrieau tripled on the 12-race card, starting in the opener as Alwaysinfullforce ($4.70) kicked off the evening with a 5-1/4-length victory in 1:56 for trainer Mike McGuigan and owner Jamie Whalen. Isle Mach Da Money ($14.40) and trainer-driver Barrieau captured the fifth race in a tight finish over heavy favourite Staggerette. The filly held on by a neck in 1:57.2 for owner David Lund. You Already Have ($8.20) polished off the Barrieau triple in the eighth race as the filly scored a maiden-breaking win by 4-1/4 lengths in 1:59.2 for trainer Nicholas Oakes and owners J D Racing Inc. and Dunsan Farms.

Live racing continues on Saturday at 6 p.m. at Red Shores Charlottetown.

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

(Red Shores)