Cattle Call converted off a first-over grind to best his seven rivals in the 2026 edition of the Barrieau McIssac Memorial on Saturday, Oct. 31 at Connell Park Raceway in Woodstock, N.B.

Eight sophomore pacers lined up in the $68,000 main event on Saturday afternoon, with elimination winner Cattle Call sent postward as the 1-2 public choice from the inner most starting spot and driver Gilles Barrieau at the controls. Despite that pylon draw, elim winner Goose Commander (Jason Hughes) was quickest away from the gate with favoured Cattle Call second and Tobins Nibbler (Keith Legge) challenging. Tobins Nibbler cleared his stablemate after a :28.4 opening quarter, but Goose Commander and Hughes played give-and-go to retake the lead before the half.

Cattle Call followed first up into a :58.2 half and that front pair of elim winners traded blows down the backside into a 1:28 third station with just over four lengths separating the field from front to back. Around the far turn, Cattle Call collared Goose Commander and gained some separation on this rivals in the stretch. Shekhan (Redmond Doucet) tried to close on Cattle Call but the favourite had enough in the tank to repel that rival and hold on for the 1:58.1 victory. Shekhan finished 1-1/2 lengths back in second, while Smilin With Lou (Pooker McCallum) kicked home well late for third.

Now a 10-time winner in his career, Cattle Call (Cattlewash-Bolero Tallia) is owned by Friends And Family Stable of Nine Mile Creek, P.E.I. The Ron Matheson pupil boasts a tidy bankroll of $88,447 from his 10-5-1 summary in 19 appearances. He returned $3 to win.

Saturday's card also featured two-year-old pacers in New Brunswick Breeders Stakes action, with a single $15,000 division for each sex and last week's winners returning to victory lane.

He was 1-9 on the tote board and Plymouth Rock was 1-9 the best on the racetrack for driver Barrieau and trainer Rick Armstrong. The rookie rolled through fractions of :30.4,1:02.1 and 1:32.1 before closing in :29.3 to score by more than five lengths in 2:01.4. Bloodbath (Mike Downey) finished second with Rolling All Night (Keith Legge) in for the show dough.

A son of Courtly Choice-Joes Sign, Plymouth Rock is owned by Stephen Downey of Quispamsis, N.B. Plymouth Rock is now four-for-five lifetime with earnings of $12,954. He paid $2.10 to win.

As expected, Elm Grove Vinebabz scored once again in the $15,000 New Brunswick Breeders Stakes event for two-year-old pacing fillies. After sitting the pocket behind second choice Moolah (Barrieau) through fractions of :29, :59 and 1:29.4, 1-4 choice Elm Grove Vinebabz got her cue from driver Redmond Doucet down the backside and surged to the front around the turn. With a final quarter of :32.3, Elm Grove Vinebabz cruised to victory by more than four lengths with the mile timed in 2:02.3. Moolah stayed for second with Livinglikebeth (Colin Sheppard) getting up for third.

Trained and co-owned by Allan Jones of Riverview, N.B., Elm Grove Vinebabz (Tobago Cays-Miss Old Vines) is co-owned by Normand Leger of Shediac, N.B. The filly notched her second win in 15 appearances, good for $21,397 in earnings. She paid $2/60 on a $2 win wager.

Storm Shadow used his rail control to make every call a winning one in the $2,000 Winners Over Pace. Sent to the top by driver Dr. Mitch Downey, Storm Shadow stomped through splits of and then held off the late challenge from pocket-popping Party Place (Legge) for the 1:58.2 tally. Party Place just missed, only a quarter of a length back of the winner with favoured Nuttin But Finesee (Mike Downey) in for third.

Dr. Downey owns and Ellen Stevenson trains Storm Shadow, now a nine-time winner in his career. The 2023 Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final winner at two, five-year-old Storm Shadow (Bettors Delight-Fade) sports $615,809 in earnings.

Live harness racing returns to Connell Park next Saturday, Nov. 7. To view Saturday's results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Connell Park Raceway.

(Standardbred Canada; photo of Cattle Call winning on Oct. 31)