Dunmore Alpha, under the command of Mark Cullen, came from the back of the pack to win the $1,500 Open Handicap Trot at Red Shores Racetrack & Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park on New Year's Eve
. The time of the
mile was 2:02.3 over a track rated 'good' with a two second variant.
The victory gave Cullen the overall title of the Trot Challenge Championship with 177 points. The competition has been presented by Johnston's Salads and Keybrand Foods Inc. for over 20 years and has a reputation to coming down to the final card to settle the score. Cullen was tied with Marc Campbell for the top spot going into the event, but Campbell's horse, Ginternal Revenue, made a break down the backstretch and wasn't a contender.
For Dunmore Alpha, an eight-year-old Black River gelding owned and trained by Edward Smallwood, the victory was his ninth of the season in 31 starts and 40th lifetime.
Ultimate Yankee, driven by Kenny Arsenault, burst off the gate to take
control of the field and win the $2,200 New Year's Eve feature pace and final Charlottetown race of 2011 in 2:00 flat. The five-year-old Coastocoast Yankee gelding held off a late challenge by Blue Star Outlaw for the score while Oakrock Almighty completed the triactor ticket.
Ultimate Yankee has three wins and a third from only five starts this season for trainer Robert Laffin and owners the Ultimate Stable and Dawn Hubbert of Greater Lakeburn, N.B.
Horses and drivers put on a quite a show for the sold out event enduring heavy rain throughout the night. But the racetrack was also in fine form thanks to the track crew who had the legendary oval in top shape. There were three miles under 2:00 on the night including Rebelryan, owned and trained by Kevin MacLean of Vernon Bridge, P.E.I., who stopped the timer in 1:58.3.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(With files from Red Shores)