The 2021 final of the Governor's Cup at Northside Downs appears to be a wide-open affair after four horses claimed victory over the two weeks of competition.
First leg winners Southwind Ricardo and Intended Royalty each tasted defeat in the second leg on Saturday (Oct. 30) at Northside Downs, with front end speed not holding up this week.
Daddy Let Me Drive delivered as the public choice in the first second division. Sitting off the early speed carved out by The Big Chase (Ryan Campbell) through fractions of :28, :56.4 and 1:27, Rodney Gillis launched Daddy Let Me Drive three-wide at the three-quarter mark. The seven-year-old collared the leaders around the far turn and then paced away in the stretch to a near three-length score in 1:57. Gentry Seelster (Mark Pezzarello) and Southwind Ricardo (Greg Sparling) rounded out the top trio.
Donald Beaton of Port Hood, N.S. owns and trains Daddy Let Me Drive, who paid a solid $4.80 to win. The son of I Can Only Imagine - Shescomingonstrong picked up his ninth win of the season and 28th lifetime, lifting his earnings over the $144,000 mark.
Sunshine Lou played the spoiler in the second $1,600 Governor's Cup division. Walter Walker asked the son of Sunshine Beach to come first up on favoured Intended Royalty (Mark Pezzarello) at the :58.1 half, grinding away at the leader through a 1:27.3 third panel before pulling away to win in 1:56.2. Johnnie Jack (Ryan Campbell) was just over a length back in second with Intended Royalty staying for third.
Owned by trainer Raymond MacKinnon of Inverness, N.S., Sunshine Lou punched his ticket to next week's $5,000 Governor's Cup Final with his sixth win of the season and 12th lifetime. The five-year-old now sports $51,902 in career earnings.
The top six point earners over the two legs will advance to next week's 2021 Governor's Cup, with a special 12:00 p.m. post time for the Nov. 6 card in Cape Breton.
To view the results of Saturday's card, click the following link: Saturday Results - Northside Downs.