Last at the half but first when it mattered most, Bee Two Bee breezed by his competition to take home top honours in the top class on Saturday, Oct. 18 at Red Shores Racetrack & Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
A compact and evenly-matched field of five went postward on Saturday afternoon in the $5,100 Preferred 2 Pace with four of the five horses at post time odds between 2-1 and 3-1.
Favoured Twin B Tuffenuff (Gilles Barrieau) took the early lead and set the first half fractions of :28.1 and :57.4 under no pressure over a track listed as 'good.' Bee Two Bee, last at the half, received his attack orders from driver Jason Hughes at the five-eighths mark, flushing Wind Blown (Corey MacPherson) out from third. Wind Blown applied that overland pressure to Twin B Tuffenuff through a 1:28 third station, towing Bee Two Bee into striking range. Hughes angled Bee Two Bee into the three path around that far turn, asked him once, and Bee Two Bee responded with powerful strides to pick off the pacesetter and hold off the late rally of House Edge Hanover (Ken Murphy) by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:56.3. Twin B Tuffenuff stayed for the show dough.
Ashley Gamester trains Bee Two Bee, an eight-year-old son of Sunshine BEach - Bee Fullof Steinam, for owners Donald MacRae of Vernon Bridge and Blair MacLauchlan of Charlottetown, P.E.I. The win was the pacer's eighth of the year, matching his output from one year ago, while lifting his career winner's circle appearances to 41. He's earned $542,525 in his 172 career starts, returning $7.70 to win on this occasion.
To view the results from Saturday's card of harness racing in Charlottetown, click the following link: Saturday Results - Red Shores Charlottetown.
(Standardbred Canada)