The Atlantic Breeders Crown freshman pacing champions returned to victory lane on Saturday at Charlottetown Driving Park in the $3,000 Maritime Breeders Stakes eliminations.
Atlantic Breeders Crown filly winner Saulsbrook Alana matched the divisional track record of 1:56 that she set in last week's championships with a front-stepping score in her Maritime Breeders elimination. Marc Campbell drove the daughter of Western Paradise for trainer Kevin MacLean and owner Reginald MacPherson of Stratford, P.E.I. The favourite won by one and a half lengths over Elm Grove Inarush (Mark Bradley) with Sail Through (Gilles Barrieau) finishing third. The victory was Saulsbrook Alana's seventh in a row and eighth in 11 career starts.
Trainer/driver Gilles Barrieau won the first two eliminations for the colts with Settlement Request and Tobins Fusion.
Settlement Request held off the pocket-pulling Mr Comraderie (Mike Stevenson) by a head in 1:59.3 with Rancousy (Darren Crowe) finishing three-quarters of a length behind in third. The Coasttocoast Yankee gelding, who has now won four times in 13 starts, is owned by Alfred Barrieau of Dieppe, N.B. and Michael Clinton of Saint John, N.B.
Tobins Fusion romped to a five and three-quarter length victory in a career-best 1:59 over a from-last T M Brave Heart (Mike Stevenson) and P H Buddy (Mark Bradley). The Western Paradise colt is nine-for-13 in his career for owners Boyd Macdonald Prodce Ltd. of Crapaud P.E.I., Daniel Ross of Belfast, P.E.I., and Charles Seymour of Fredericton, N.B.
Fresh off his Atlantic Breeders Crown victory last weekend, Dumas Walker won the other colt elimination in 1:59 off a pocket trip for trainer/driver Myles Heffernan Sr. Finishing over three lengths behind, pacesetter Super S Yzerman (Clare MacDonald) edged out longshot Elm Grove Intrepid (Brodie MacPhee) for second-place honours. Heffernan co-owns the Western Success gelding with Joseph Poirier of Reserve Mines, N.S. He earned his eighth win from 11 starts.
Both of the filly and colt finals will be held next Saturday, October 26 at Charlottetown Driving Park.
In other action, Stayoutofmyaffair and driver Jason Hughes won this week's $2,200 Fillies & Mares Open Pace in 1:56.1 for conditioner Stephen Quinn while Ambyr Campbell trainee Zip The Lip was a three length winner in the $1,800 Open Trot, scoring in 2:00.4 in rein to Brian MacPhee.
The David Rose Memorial Series for $3,500 claiming pacers began on Saturday with Brodie MacPhee steering winners in two of the four $1,500 divisions. He scored with Outside The Wire and Tymal Headliner while the other divisions were won by Flag Of Honor (Gilles Barrieau) and Micrometerjack (Corey MacPherson).
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.