Elm Grove Joker and Mr Salming found themselves in the spotlight on Sunday afternoon following their respective triumphs in $17,165 divisions of the Donnie and George Turner Memorial
.
Trainer/driver Clare MacDonald clicked in the opening split with Elm Grove Joker, a pacer she co-owns with Bob Gordon of Elmsdale, PEI and Donna Rector of Belmont, NS.
MacDonald tucked her charge into the three-hole while race favourite Box Car Johnnie (Todd Trites) laid down fractions of :28.3, :59.1 and 1:29.4. Elm Grove Joker rallied late and used a :29-second final frame to post the win by 2-3/4 lengths in 1:59. Box Car Johnnie held on for the silver medal, with Little Quick (Danny Romo) grabbing the bronze.
Elm Grove Joker, a three-year-old son of Astreos-Canasta Hanover, was unraced a rookie but he has assembled a 5-2-0 record in the first 16 starts of his sophomore campaign. He has stashed away more than $35,000 in the process.
Mr Salming went to the front and didn’t look back en route to notching a 1:57.1 tally in the second division for trainer/driver Gilles Barrieau.
The three-year-old son of Coastocoast Yankee-First To Fly led six rivals through fractions of :28.3, :58 and 1:28 before sprinting home in :29.1 for the three-quarters of a length decision over Ultimate Yankee (Robert Laffin) in 1:57.1. Fit To Ben Tied (Ryan Ellis) rounded out the top three finishers.
Boyd MacDonald Prodce Ltd of Crapaud and Daniel Ross of Belfast, PEI share ownership on the colt, who owns a 9-3-4 record in 18 trips to the track this season. The 14-time winner pushed his bankroll over $92,000 with the winning effort.
To view Sunday’s results, click here.