Island Breeders Championship finals were the order of the day on Sunday (October 29) at Red Shores’ Charlottetown Driving Park, as some of the top two and three-year-old on Prince Edward Island clashed in multiple showdowns.
Although she was sent off as the public’s second choice, Proven Lover bay Silverhill Misty ($12.90) returned an attractive win mutuel in the $11,000 Island Breeders Championship final for two-year-old pacing fillies (Race 7). After having started from Post 2 for trainer/driver Jason Hughes, Silverhill Misty went down the road, cut all of the fractions (:29.2, :59.1, 1:28.3) and paced off to a four and a quarter-length victory in 1:58.1. Post 1 starter Maybeitsmaybelline (driven by Gilles Barrieau) finished second and Elm Grove Misty (Dave Kelly) closed from sixth to finish third. The mark-lowering mile was the third win of Silverhill Misty’s nine-race career. She has now banked more than $14,000 in career purses for owner Kurt Hughes (of Stratford, PE).
It was longshot time in the $11,000 Island Breeders Championship final for two-year-old pacing colts (Race 9), as the Austin Sorrie-trained and Corey MacPherson-driven JJ Powerball ($81.50) rocked the toteboard at odds of 39-1 from Post 8. The complexion of the race changed when the heavily favoured Half Cut, who was hammered down to five cents on the dollar, broke stride prior to the opening-quarter call (:29.1). JJ Powerball, who is a son of Image Of Dawn, was racing well off the pace through the opening fractions (:29.1, :58.1). Half Cut (Mark Bradley) had done his best to get back into the race, as he rebounded from his early miscue and retook the point in the vicinity of the half-mile pole. JJ Powerball was up and challenging Half Cut first-over at the 1:27.2 three-quarters call. MacPherson sustained the drive through the lane and got JJ Powerball up for a one and one-quarter-length victory in 1:57.1. Half Cut had to settle for second and Doublejackandaces (Jason Hughes) closed well for third. The 1:57.1 mile was a mark-equalling effort for JJ Powerball, who has now won five of 11 starts and close to $20,000 in purses for owners Walter Simmons (Summerside, PE) and Tammy Collings (Hazel Brook, PE).
One of the most dominant performances of the afternoon came in Race 11, the $11,000 Island Breeders Championship final for three-year-old pacing fillies, as Post 4 starter Filly Forty Seven ($2.30) and trainer/driver Marc Campbell posted a six and a half-length, gate-to-wire victory in 1:56.4. The brown daughter of Proven Lover crossed over to the point and cut the fractions in :29.1, :58.4 and 1:27.4 before kicking home. Filly Forty Seven has now won 12 of her 16 seasonal starts and has yet to miss the board in 2017. She has now won 18 of her 29 career races and has banked almost $130,000 for owners Darryl Maclean (Winsloe, PE), Katelyn Smallwood (Stratford, PE), Cory Carver (Montague, PE) and Tanya Tremblett (Sydney Mines, NS).
It was the Trevor Hicken-trained and Corey MacPherson-driven Tobinator ($10.40) that emerged victorious from the $11,000 Island Breeders Championship final for three-year-old pacing colts (Race 13), as the Coastocoast Yankee gelding recorded a one-length, wire-to-wire victory in 1:56.2. Tobinator was sent off as the public’s third choice from Post 4. He notched the fractions in :28.1, :57.4 and 1:27.1 before holding off the field at the wire. Ashes To Ashes (Gilles Barrieau) finished second, while the post-time choice, Mick Dundee (Donald MacNeil), who was overland for much of the mile, finished another half-length back in third. Tobinator has now won three of his 15 seasonal starts and 11 of his 30 career tests. He has now banked over $73,000 n career purses. William Hicken (Vernon Bridge, PE)
Took over ownership of the gelding earlier this month.
It was the trotters that kicked off the Island Breeders Championship Finals earlier on the card.
The Terry Gallant-trained and Gilles Barrieau-driven Windmeredontuworry ($2.50) was heavily backed at the windows for the $7,500 Island Breeders Championship final for two-year-old trotters (Race 3), and the son of Armbro Barrister did not disappoint. After having started from Post 3, Barrieau worked out a two-hole trip behind Buckaroo (Marc Campbell), who cut all of the fractions (:29.1, 1:00, 1:31.1). Windmeredontuworry was dominant when asked late, as he trotted to a four and a quarter-length win in 2:01.1. Buckaroo held on for second and Buddy White (Adam Merner) finished third. Windmeredontuworry is now eight for 13 and has only missed the board once. He has now banked more than $32,000 in purse earnings for Gallant (Summerside, PE), who co-owns along with Eric Johnston (Summerside, PE).
It has definitely begun to sound like a broken record, but Tad The Stud gelding Pappy Go Go ($2.10) was dominant again on Sunday, as the bay captured the $7,500 Island Breeders Championship final for three-year-old trotters (Race 5) for trainer/driver Marc Campbell in 1:59.1. After having started from the rail, Campbell moved his charge overland after the :30.1 opening quarter. The duo went on to cut the middle fractions in :59.4 and 1:29.3 before nailing the wire in 1:59.1. The margin of victory was two and three-quarter lengths. Pocket rider Miss Neala Ridge (Clare MacDonald) finished second and Ocenview Deb (Henry Smallwood) finished third. The win extended Pappy Go Go’s seasonal unbeaten streak to 13. He has now won 19 of his 24 career starts and has banked close to $60,000 in purses overall for owner Grayland Farm (Pugwash, NS).
The card also featured a $2,250 Fillies and Mares Open Pace (Race 10), which was won by four-year-old Yankee Cruiser bay Itsallabouthebass ($15.50) in 1:56.2. Kenny Arsenault drove the Jeff Homes trainee to the gate-to-wire win (:27.4, :57.4, 1:27.3). The duo won by two and three-quarter lengths. The program also featured a $2,400 Preferred Pace, which was won by eight-year-old Western Ideal gelding Adkins Hanover ($15.40) in 1:55.4. Driver Corey MacPherson drove the Trevor Hicken trainee from Post 3 and recorded a wire-to-wire win by a scant nose.
MacPherson recorded five wins during the program, as he steered Cowboys Don’t Cry ($2.90), Jetta Flys ($3.00), JJ Powerball ($81.50), Tobinator ($10.40) and Adkins Hanover ($15.40) to victory.
To view the harness racing results for Sunday at the CDP, click the following link: Sunday Results – Charlottetown Driving Park.