Freshman stars flooded the entry box for Saturday’s card of racing at the Charlottetown Driving Park as the half-mile oval hosted Gold and Grassroots divisions of the Joe O’Brien Memorial for pacing colts and geldings and Lady Slipper Stakes for pacing fillies.
Dixie Lullaby was a winner in going away fashion in her $11,700 Lady Slipper Stake for the tandem of driver Todd Trites and trainer/owner Johnny Heffernan of Reserve Mines, NS. The youngster shot to the front and led the field through panels of :30.4, 1:02 and 1:31.2 before using a :28.3 closing quarter to win by 8-1/2 lengths over Riverboat Dancer in 2:00. Taking home third prize was Scarlet Safari.
The daughter of If I Can Dream-Dixie Dew Bluechip certainly lived up to her 1-9 pari-mutuel billing. It was the fifth straight score for the freshman who now boasts a 7-2-0 record from just nine trips to the track. She’s banked $18,200 to date.
Howmacfiesty also used front-end tactics to win her $11,700 assignment for trainer/driver Danny Romo. After parking to the quarter pole in :29.4, the filly hugged the pylons through middle fractions of 1:01.2 and 1:32.1 before sprinting home in :29.3 to win by two lengths over Amirightorwrong in 2:01.4. Shalara took home the show dough.
The daughter of Carnivore-Bradelle, who was sent off at odds of 4-1, celebrated her third win in nine tries for owner Thomas J Hawco, Jr. of Sydney, NS. The lion’s share of the loot lifted her earnings over $14,000.
Beaus Cowboy rallied from far back to light up the toteboard to the tune of 26-1 in his $11,000 division of the Joe O’Brien Memorial for colt and gelding pacers. Walter Cheverie got away next to last with the gelding while K D Overdrive sped through fractions of :27.3 and :58.2. The first-over Heart And Soul took a short lead at the three-quarter pole in 1:29, but that odds-on favourite was picked off in the closing strides by the late-driving Beaus Cowboy who fired home in :29.2 for the upset win. K D Overdrive settled for third prize.
Ronnie Gass trains the son of Brandons Cowboy-Beau Leave In for Alex Macphee of Clyde River, PE. It was the rookie’s third win of the season from nine tries, and he bumped his bankroll to $14,696 in the process.
Jackson K Down extended his winning streak to three-in-a-row thanks to his 1:59.1 triumph in the second division. Gilles Barrieau hustled the Steve Mason trainee to the lead from Post 5 and together they chopped out fractions of :28.1, :59.3 and 1:30 before slipping home in :29.1 to win by 1-1/4 lengths over Lukes Cowboy in 1:59.1. Pro Side rounded out the Triactor ticket in the $11,000 affair.
Bred and owned by Downey Stables of Quispamsis, NB, Jackson K Down has manufacted a record of 8-1-0 from just nine starts. He’s just shy of $30,000 in earnings.
The $7,100 Grassroots divisions of the Lady Slipper Stake for two-year-old fillies went to Mileysgotthepower (2:03.4) and Pictonian Rachel (2:04.4).
The $5,000 Grassroots divisions of the Joe O’Brien Memorial for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings went to Dees Boy (2:03.2), J J Jodster (2:02) and J K Cowboy (2:00.1).
To view results for Saturday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Saturday Results – Charlottetown Driving Park.