Driver Marc Campbell enjoyed a big night of racing Saturday at Charlottetown Driving Park as he swept all four Gold divisions of the Lady Slipper and Joe O'Brien Memorial Stakes divisions featured on the card.
Campbell teamed up with trainer Kevin MacLean to win both $10,200 Joe O'Brien Memorial Gold divisions for two-year-old pacing colts with Forever Paradise and Pownal Bay Mustang.
Fresh off a victory in the Maritime Breeders Stake, Forever Paradise ($3.30) front-stepped his way to a 1:58.2 two and a half length score. Colbys Comet and Darren Crowe finished second and the John Holmes-driven Scarlet Chaser was third. Forever Paradise is now six-for-13 in his career with nearly $40,000 banked in purses. The Western Paradise-Mariart gelding, who won an O'Brien Gold division this summer on Aug. 22 at Summerside, is owned by Reginald MacPherson and David MacKenzie of Stratford, P.E.I. along with Aaron MacKenzie of Winsloe, P.E.I.
Pownal Bay Mustang ($3) converted off a pocket trip to win his Gold division in 2:00.3 by one length over Its My Turn and Jason Hughes. Sinners In Heaven and Gary Chappell finished third. The No Pan Intended-Musical Cam is owned by MacPherson and breeder Ian Smith of Charlottetown. He notched his sixth win of his 11-race career while lifting his bankroll to $13,232.
Campbell also won both $11,500 Lady Slipper Gold divisions with the Earl Watts-conditioned Dont Tell Cindy and his own trainee Western Judy.
Dont Tell Cindy ($3.60) went gate-to-wire in the first division, stopping the clock in 2:00. She won by four lengths over 39-1 longshot Lyndale Annie and Brodie MacPhee while Charlottes Starlet and Kenny Arsenault rounded out the top three finishers. The Tell All-Theresa Hall filly is owned by Thomas McGuffog of Hanwell, N.B. and Geoffrey MacNeish of Douglas, N.B. She has now won half of her eight starts while banking $13,222.
Western Judy ($12.20) followed the cover of favourite Top Brand and Danny Romo, and once they cleared to command, she swept by to win by a quarter length in 2:00.3. Misssassy Attitude and Arsenault finished three lengths behind in third. Owned by Charlottetown's Blair Hansen, the Articulator-West Wishes filly has earned three wins and four seconds in 12 stakes starts to bank $20,057.
Campbell also won one of two $7,000 Lady Slipper Grassroots divisions with Waterside Scamp ($3.50) in 2:03.2 for Todd Walsh while Mike Campbell trainee Rose Valley ($2.70) and Arsenault won the other split in 2:03. The $9,200 O'Brien Grassroots division went to Mr Macleod ($16.50) and Corey MacPherson in 2:01 for trainer Lloyd Hannah.
In regular racing action, Jackie Matheson trainee Balanchine ($5.70) went back-to-back in the weekly $2,200 Preferred Pace. Driven by MacPhee, the eight-year-old Blissfull Hall gelding earned his 45th career win with a 1:55.3 first over effort. He is owned by Mike Pollard of Stratford, P.E.I. and Joey Gallant of Charlottetown.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.