Tyne Valley converted off a pocket trip to defeat the popular race leader Paymenowpaymelater in the $7,000 Maritime Breeders Stakes Final for three-year-old trotters, named in honour of the late Buddy Campbell, on Saturday at Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
Paymenowpaymelater, driven by Marc Campbell, cleared to command over Tyne Valley and Kenny Arsenault at the first quarter mark in :29 and trotted on top through middle splits of :58.4 and 1:29.3. However, Tyne Valley overtook Paymenowpaymelater in the stretch and prevailed by three-quarters of a length in a career-best clocking of 2:00.3. J K Blaze and Walter Cheverie finished third.
Tyne Valley was scratched sick from last year's Maritime Breeders eliminations, but earned victories in seven of her 11 freshmen starts, including the Atlantic Breeders Crown and Island Breeders Championship. She notched just the second win of her sophomore campaign from 10 starts with the mild 8-1 upset in Saturday's stakes final.
The Northern Bailey-Tymal Maroma miss now has over $37,000 in purse earnings for trainer Bill Roloson, who also shares ownership with Scott Roloson of Belfast, P.E.I. and Charlottetown's Kristi Pickering.
Ronnie Gass trainees Caliban Hanover (Cheverie) and Pleasure Girl (Gass) swept the top two spots in this week's $1,950 Open Trot, with the former prevailing over the latter in 2:01.1 for his second win in a row. Cheverie also drove Ramblinglily to her second straight triumph in $2,200 Mares Open Handicap Pace, this time clocked in 1:57.3, for trainer and co-owner Allan Jones. The $2,250 Preferred Pace was won by Kevin MacLean trainee Forever Paradise and Campbell in 1:56.1.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.