Trainer/driver Corey MacPherson had the hot hands on Saturday, Jan. 4, winning three dashes on Charlottetown Driving Park's 2025 opener.
MacPherson tripled up from his own stable with Mr Rielly ($2.20; 1:58) and Harlequin Romance ($4.70; 1:59.1) before sweeping the field and pulling a 28-1 stunner in the 13th race finale aboard Melanies Magic (pictured above) in 2:01 to return $59.80 at the betting windows.
Sugar Bowl won the $3,800 feature at 4-5 odds in a gritty effort for driver Gilles Barrieau as part of two wins for trainer Jeff Holmes. The six-year-old daughter of Sweet Lou had to settle into the four-hole in the early going as Acefortyfourdome (Jason Hughes) tripped the opening quarter in :28.1. Stash It Away (MacPherson) was out and driving to take the front past the quarter-pole before Sugar Bowl was moved hard first-over to hit the lead at the half in 58.1. Sugar Bowl continued her lead at the three-quarter pole in 1:27.2 while fighting off the first-over attacking Braxtons Boy (Ken Murphy) from the outer flow then she closed out the mile in 1:57.2 with denying the pocket-sitting Stash It Away the win. Third went to Imalookertoo (Brady Sweet). Tommy Collings shares ownership of the winning mare with Brian MacPhee of Mount Stewart, P.E.I.
Holmes also hit the board first in race 10 as Elroy Shiner (Sweet) was a 1:57.3 winner at 1-1 for owner Frank Sweet.
Stoney Curtis (Adam Merner) went all the way in Charlottetown's 2025 opener with a 2:01.1 victory for trainer Jared Perrot, who co-owns with James Perrot of Stratford, P.E.I.
One Rock (Murphy) reached up to win the Byron Gamester Memorial in race three in a 1:59.4 mile for owner/trainer Luke Burke at 3-1.
Dusty Lane Zoro (Don MacNeill) was the fastest winner of the day with a 1:56.1 clocking for trainer Ron Gass and owner Alexis Gass at 1-2 odds.
The 2025 Charlottetown portion of the meet will take place each Saturday though the month of January with a first post time of 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)