Marc Campbell enjoyed a big day at Red Shores Racetrack & Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park on Saturday recording four winners, which included three Island Breeders Championships.
Campbell started the grand-slam with Timely Finesse for Windmere Farms and David Watts of North Wilshire, P.E.I. Then it was the parade of champions.
Jackson K Down won the $11,000 two-year-old colt division for trainer Stephen Mason and the Downey Stables of Quispamsis, N.B., who is also the breeder. He scored his seventh win in a row, stopping the clock in 2:00.2. Dustylane MsVickie notched her fifth in a row in the $11,000 three-year-old filly split, scoring in 1:58.1 for Grayland Farms of Pugwash, N.S. and breeder Meridian Farms.
One of Campbell's biggest scores of the afternoon came with Proven Desire in the $11,000 three-year-old colt showdown. Campbell put the son of Proven Lover on the point and celebrated an Island Breeders Championship in a 1:57.3 dazzling performance. Silverhill Blaze rallied for second while Dixieland Band, a colt that he battled with all season, settled for third. Proven Desire is owned by Blair Hansen and Meghan MacDonald of Charlottetown and John Thomas of Dartmouth, N.S. Silverhill is the breeder.
The McGuigan-Smallwood team picked up two Island Breeders Championships with two-year-old trotters. Michael McGuigan guided Oceanview Lefty to a maiden-breaking 2:06.3 victory in the $5,000 opener for owner/trainer Edward Smallwood and breeder Bill Roloson. Michael’s dad, Leonard, rallied Glencove Zani to his fifth win in a row in their $5,000 division, scoring in 2:05 for the Smallwood stable. The colt was bred by Carl Bagnall.
The Roloson family also had their picture taken with their three-year-old filly trotter Tyne Valley, who was victorious in her $5,000 split in 2:02 with Kenny Arsenault driving. Scott and Bill Rolson share the ownership papers. William Andrew was the winning breeder.
The $5,000 three-year-old colt trot was a father and son celebration. Steven Shepherd was in the bike to win with Suicide Shift in 2:04.2 for his dad Harold, who trains the champion for his co-owner Margo Fisher of Fredericton, N.B.
Dixie Lullaby pushed her winning streak to six after Todd Trites engineered a 1:59.3 victory in the $11,000 two-year-old filly pace final. Johnny Heffernan is the owner and trainer from Reserve Mines, N.S. Bulletproof Enterprises is the breeder.
In other action, Mach Wheel, under the command of trainer/driver Darren Crowe, took the $2,400 Halloween Pace in an impressive 1:55.4 for owner Roy Springett of Windsor, N.S., while Best Risque pulled off an upset in the $2,200 Rollwithitharry Open Mares Handicap Pace, winning in 1:59.2 by a neck over Ramblinglily for driver Clare MacDonald, trainer Brian Ladner and his co-owners Lillian and Kevin Ladner of Charlottetown. After the race leader broke stride, Holy Molie Maggie won the $1,950 Open Trot by half a length over Caliban Hanover in 2:00.3 for driver Gary Chappell and trainer/owner Jeff Holmes of Orwell, P.E.I.
Kenny Arsenault had a driving double.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(With files from Red Shores)