General Luckypercy Takes Charge In Atlantic Mares Series Final
General Luckypercy was a wire-to-wire winner in the $13,600 Atlantic Aged Mares Pacing Series Final featured on Saturday night at Charlottetown Driving Park.
Driver Gilles Barrieau sent 1-2 favourite General Luckypercy to the lead from post two and carved out fractions of :27.3, :57.1 and 1:26.1 en route to a four and a quarter length victory in 1:55.2. Private Joke (Gary Chappell) and Dreaming (Norm Myers) advanced first and second over to round out the top three finishers.
General Luckypercy has won half of her 18 seasonal start, including two of her four series divisions on July 22 at Truro Raceway and Sept. 16 at Summerside Raceway.
Jackie Matheson trains the six-year-old daughter of Blissfull Hall for owners Jodilyn Shepherd of Cambridge, Ont. and Jack Brown of Stratford, P.E.I.
The series for aged pacing mares that are Canadian sired and/or 100 percent Canadian owned was sponsored by Standardbred Canada, Red Shores Racetrack & Casino, PEIHRIA and the participating host tracks.
Two Maritime Breeders eliminations for sophomore trotters were also held during the Saturday night card with Atlantic Breeders Crown champion Majian Dillon returning to the winner's circle.
With trainer James Ripley in the sulky, Majian Dillon advanced first over from third to win the first $1,500 elimination by two and three-quarter lengths over pacesetter My Daisy Duke (Corey MacPherson). Moulded Image (Mike Stevenson) finished five lengths behind in third. Dusty Red Lane (Paul Lanigan) was fourth after making a pair of breaks during the mile.
The Nikes Image-Askmetodance gelding, now two-for-six this year, is owned and bred by Marylea Ripley of Amherst, N.S.
In the following elimination, Sweetwater Rukkus rebounded after being set back from second in the Atlantic Breeders Crown for breaking the pylon rule with a 2:05.3 front-stepping score this time out.
The Bo W-Saulsbrook Image gelding turned back Lil Miss Abbie (Mark Cullen) and held off the pocket-pulling Majian Chester (Ripley) down the stretch to win by a quarter length. Even-money favourite Est Non Ila Dulcis (Marc Campbell) finished 12 lengths behind in third after recovering from an early miscue. Lil Miss Abbie finished fourth.
Sweetwater Rukkus notched his fourth win in 11 seasonal stars for owner and trainer Ralph Annear of Montague, P.E.I.
The top four finishers from each elimination advance to the final next Saturday, October 20 at Charlottetown. Eliminations for the two-year-old divisions will be held on Sunday, Oct. 14 at Truro Raceway.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.