T H Boomtown captured the $5,100 Preferred Pace to head a quartet of winners for trainer Ron Matheson on Saturday, Jan. 17 at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
Gilles Barrieau was in the bike behind the son of Captain Crunch-Ally Elizabeth for owners Dr. Don Ling and Wayne MacDougall of Stratford, P.E.I. After sitting fourth through the first-half fractions of :29.1 and :59, the five-year-old gelding rolled first-up to take command at three-quarters in 1:28.3 and powered home to win by five lengths in 1:55.4 with a :27.1 closing quarter. Howmac Maximus (Marc Campbell) was second while Captainofrocknroll (Ken Murphy) finished third. T H Boomtown is now 16-for-52 lifetime with earnings of $87,058. He returned $6.60 at the windows.
Matheson and Barrieau also teamed up to win with Therealprincess ($8.10) in 1:57.3 in the $4,200 Fillies and Mares Winners Over Pace. The seven-year-old daughter of Source Of Price-Deviliciously Good raced fourth to the quarter in :28.3 and half in :58.1, pulled second-over on the way to three-quarters in 1:28.1, and kicked home to score by 1-1/4 lengths over Promise Me Later (Corey MacPherson) and Shake N Blake (Murphy), who were second and third, respectively. The winning mare, owned by Dr. Mitchell Downey of Saint John, N.B., took her 34th win and upped her earnings to $189,620 in 107 lifetime starts.
The Matheson-Barrieau-Downey connection also scored in Race 14 with Blood Money ($3.30) in 1:57.1. Matheson’s other training win came with The Sports Desk ($2.70) in the fifth race with Jason Hughes aboard in 1:58.2. Matheson has won four of eight starts in 2026 after going four-for-four on the 14-race card.
Buckhead Ridge ($2.70) dictated matters from the front in the $4,200 P.E.I.S.H.O.A. Open Handicap Trot for driver Marc Campbell and trainer Landon Campbell. He took over before the quarter in :28.4, put up middle panels of :58.4 and 1:29.1, and turned back Rocket Blast (MacPherson) to score by 2-1/2 lengths in 1:57.4. Fight Song (Hughes) was third. Brady Doyle of Stratford owns the winning six-year-old son of Nuncio-Tuonela, who is now a 25-time winner from 64 starts with $157,687 in bankroll.
Lady Devine ($2.30) dominated the conditioned pace for fillies and mares in the eighth race, leaving to the top and cruising home in 1:56 for driver Drew Campbell’s first win in P.E.I. since 2003. The mare is trained by Jennifer Doyle, who also conditioned second-race winner Tenacious Ted ($3.40) to a 2:00 victory in line to Murphy.
Barrieau won four races on the card. In addition to his triple with Matheson trainees, he also steered Brigus ($3.90) to victory in Race 11 for trainer Nicholas Oakes in the fastest mile of the day of 1:55.
Hughes and trainer Ashley Gamester teamed up to win with Real Smokeshow ($11) in 2:00.1 and Dee ($4) in Race 9 in 1:58.4. Hughes also won with St Charlesfireball ($5.70) in the fourth race in 1:59.2 for trainer Vaughan Doyle.
Live racing continues at Red Shores Charlottetown on Saturday, Jan. 24 at 12:30 p.m.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(With files from Red Shores)