JJ Scarlett Sets Truro Record

Published: October 17, 2021 03:03 pm EDT

JJ Scarlett became the fastest two-year-old pacing filly at Truro Raceway with an impressive victory in the lucrative Maritime Breeders Stakes, sponsored by Home Hardware, on Sunday afternoon (Oct. 17) at Truro Raceway.

JJ Scarlett set the new track record of 1:55.3 in the $34,100 division for two-year-old pacing fillies with Redmond Doucet aboard for trainer Walter Walker.

She knocked three-fifths of a second off the divisional record set last October by Aspoonfulofsugar in the Maritime Breeders Stakes.

With the inside post advantage, Ultimate Long Shot (David Dowling) established the lead off the gate and clocked opening fractions of :27.2 and :56.2 before the backfield kicked into action flushing JJ Scarlett from the pocket. The 4-5 favourite wrestled the lead away from Ultimate Long Shot down the backstretch past three-quarters in 1:25.2 while those two gained separation from the rest of the field. JJ Scarlett drew clear turning for home and held off a resurgent Ultimate Long Shot at the end for the career-best victory by a quarter of a length. Third prize went to Cutter Loose (Marc Campbell), who finished 5-3/4 lengths behind after closing from the backfield.

JJ Scarlett, who finished fourth in the Atlantic Breeders Crown last weekend, paid $3.80 to win as the bettor's choice. The daughter of Tobago Cays out of J J Hanna Dawn improved her record to 7-1-2 from a dozen starts and lifted her bankroll to $60,557 for Wwggmacinnismackinnon Stable of Inverness, N.S.

Atlantic Breeders Crown champion Stash It Away padded his bankroll with another big stakes score in the first of two $18,650 Maritime Breeders divisions for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings with Corey MacPherson aboard for the 1:56.1 triumph.

The 1-4 favourite established the lead from post three in the field that was reduced to five with the scratch of an injured Woodmere Denver and he clocked opening fractions of :28.3 and :58.1 before there was any movement from his foes. Down the backstretch the final time, Howmac Maximus (Adam Merner) advanced first-up from third but Stash It Away shook off that rival past three-quarters 1:28.2 and opened up a pair of lengths down the lane to seal the deal. He returned $2.70 to win. JJ Xavier (Brodie MacPhee) chased in second from the pocket while Howmac Maximus finished third.

Trained by Kevin MacLean for owner Reginald MacPherson of Stratford, P.E.I., Stash It Away has earned seven wins and a pair of seconds in his debut season. The Pang Shui-Allamerican Napa gelding has stashed away $58,573 so far through his 11 starts.

Driven by Jason Hughes, the Trevor Hicken-trained Rollwithhottytoddy held off the passing lane plunge of Check Your Source for his first stakes victory in the second colt and gelding division, prevailing in a new lifetime mark of 1:57 flat.

Rollwithhottytoddy was off to a quick four-length lead from the inside post through a :27.4 opening quarter and continued to front the field through a half in :58.4 and three-quarters in 1:28.4 with pressure mounting from a first-up Soul Assassin (David Dowling) and 2-5 favourite Fern Hill General (Brodie MacPhee) poised to go three-wide off the final turn. However, it was the pocket-sitting Check Your Source (Corey MacPherson) who offered the biggest threat down the stretch to make it a photo finish for the win. Rollwithhottytoddy held on by a nose over that rival while Soul Assassin edged out Fern Hill General for third-place a length behind.

Sent postward as the 4-1 second choice, Rollwithhottytoddy returned $10.40 to win. The Rollwithitharry-Western Queen gelding earned his second career victory to go along with six other top three finishes from 11 starts. The lion's share of the purse boosted his bankroll to $22,987 for Hicken, who trains and co-owns with breeders Todd and Trish Hardy of Windsor, N.S.

Truro's weekly $2,000 Winners Over Pace was won by 1-5 favourite American Risk, who fought off Batterup Hanover (Paul Langille) in the final quarter to prevail by three-quarters of a length in 1:53.4 with Marc Campbell catch-driving for trainer George Rennison and Risky Bizz Group of Truro, N.S. Harry G (Ernest Laffin) finished third. Picking up his ninth win from 19 starts this year, the five-year-old American Ideal gelding matched his seasonal mark taken at Charlottetown.

To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Truro Raceway.

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