The money was down and Gilles Barrieau came to play Saturday (Oct. 2) with five wins on a stakes-laden card at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
Nicknamed ‘The Maritime Magic Man,’ Barrieau scored wins in two of the biggest stakes of the afternoon as Woodmere Denver was victorious in a $21,700 Joe O’Brien Memorial Gold division for two-year-old pacing colts with the son of Pang Shui stopping the clock in 1:57 for trainer Danny Romo and owners Jeff and Robert Skinner and Daniel Hiltz of Nova Scotia.
Barrieau also won with Outrageous Style from the Ron Matheson barn in a $19,820 Lady Slipper Gold division for two-year-old pacing fillies in 1:57.1 for owner Paul Holmes of Warren Grove.
Matheson and Barrieau had three wins on the day as The Generals Pride scored in 2:01 in a $9,675 Lady Slipper Grassroots division for rookie fillies and IC True Grit won a $1,700 class in 1:55.4. Barrieau’s other win was in the other filly Grassroots division with Ultimate Long Shot in 2:00.3 for trainer Earl Watts.
Corey MacPherson steered Therealprincess to victory in a $19,820 Lady Slipper Gold division for two-year-old fillies taking the passing lane to a 1:57 win for co-owner and trainer Eddy Doucette and co-owners Blaine Thibeau, Gordon MacLeod and Grant Mann.
JJ Xavier went all the way in his $21,700 O’Brien Gold split for two-year-old colts in a time of 1:56.4 in line to Brodie MacPhee for trainer Earl Smith and owner David Lund of Moncton, N.B.
Kharlamov won the lone $10,375 Joe O’Brien Memorial Grassroots division for rookie colts in 1:59.4 for trainer-driver Marc Campbell, who also captured the $3,400 Preferred 1 Pace with favoured Time To Dance.
Red Shores Charlottetown held a memorial horseshoe for recently deceased trainer-driver Mike Campbell Saturday afternoon with his cousins Kenny Arsenault and Gordie Hennessey handling the driverless horse.
The total wager was $66,240. To view Saturday's results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(with files from Red Shores)