The Sunday, Oct. 5 afternoon program at Red Shores Summerside Raceway belonged to the three-year-old pacers in the Lady Slipper Stakes and Joe O’Brien Memorial, but it was a seasoned mare who posted the fastest mile of the day and matched the fastest mile ever at the track for distaffers.
The Standardbred Canada Atlantic Aged Pacing Mares Series took top billing late on the card and Get Answers ($12.70) had the right reply in the $6,000 division. Driver Marc Campbell moved the five-year-old daughter of Lazarus N-Want Answers to the lead from an early three-hole after first-half fractions of :27.4 and :56.1, edging ahead of pacesetter Sugar Bowl (Gilles Barrieau) at three-quarters in 1:24.3 then drawing clear through the stretch to stop the timer in 1:53.1 and tie the overall pacing mares track record co-held by Share The Moment and Woodmere Skyroller. Sugar Bowl was a game second, 1-1/4 lengths behind, while favourite Miss Dutton (Paul Langille) finished third.
Landon Campbell trains the winning mare for Prince Edward Island owners Brady Doyle of Stratford and Ryan MacLeod and Everett MacLeod of Souris. Acquired by her current connections in June, Get Answers has earned six wins in 11 starts since arriving in P.E.I. Pacing back to her season's mark taken at Northfield Downs earlier this year, she won for the 18th time in her career and lifted her bankroll to $286,101.
The $25,250 Lady Slipper Gold divisions for three-year-old pacing fillies produced three impressive winners.
Badgirl Bridgette ($2.40) captured the first split, converting an early move into a 1:57.2 victory by 4-1/4 lengths for driver Jason Hughes and owner/trainer Bill Lanigan of Montague, P.E.I. Tobins Dream (Barrieau) finished second while Woodmere Betcha (Adam Merner) was third. The Stonebridge Terror-Whatabadgirl filly improved to nine-for-12 in her sophomore season put her lifetime earnings over the $100,000 mark.
Lady Hess ($3.80) unleashed a ferocious closing kick to collar Steady Heart (Marc Campbell) and win by a head in 1:55.4 for driver Corey MacPherson, trainer Jamie Smith and owner Groupof7 Stable of Charlottetown, P.E.I. Talldarklatte (Brodie MacPhee) rallied for third. A daughter of Heston Blue Chip out of Abes Lady, Lady Hess won for the third time in 13 starts this year coming off runner-up finishes in back-to-back heats of The Maritimer just last weekend.
Taking the final Gold division, Elm Grove Talia ($2.80) added to her sparkling campaign, stalking the pace and sprinting 1-3/4 lengths clear in 1:56.3 for trainer/driver David Dowling and owners Kingsley and Donald Walsh of Kinkora, P.E.I., Frank Balcom of Amherst, N.S., and Shane Baglole of Cornwall, P.E.I. Starship Laska (Marc Campbell) was the runner-up with Watch Me Shake It (Kenny Arsenault) third. The Stonebridge Terror-Queens Or Better miss picked up her sixth win of the campaign from 16 starts.
The $12,625 Grassroots divisions of the Lady Slipper went to Southwind Ricochet ($2.70) with a front-end masterpiece in 1:58 for driver Marc Campbell and trainer Earl Watts, then Shadow Princess ($2.50) dominated her field on the front end in 1:58.3 for trainer/driver Paul Langille.
The Island’s top colts delivered high-speed heroics in the twin $32,800 Gold divisions of the Joe O’Brien Memorial.
One Wicked Man ($2.70) proved to be untouchable on the front, rating fractions of :28.1, :58.1 and 1:27.4 and sprinting to the wire in 1:56 for trainer/driver Kenny Arsenault and owner James Perrot of Stratford, P.E.I. Evil Lou (Barrieau) and Rosetown Eclipse (Corey MacPherson) followed one length behind to populate the triactor. Winning his fourth straight race, the son of McWicked and Alexander Valley is now seven-for-17 on the season.
Malevolent ($2.50) continued his dominance in the other Gold split, cruising gate-to-wire in 1:54.2 for trainer/driver Langille and owners Debbie Francis of Sweets Corner, N.S., and Rosanne Langille of Lower Onslow, N.S. Dusty Lane Levi (Jason Hughes) and Phil My Beer (Marc Campbell) completed the top three less than a length behind the Malicous-Lady Kelleigh Anne gelding, who has won half of his dozen starts this year.
The lone $16,400 Grassroots split went to Redeyetoshanghai ($3.20), who stalked from third and surged through the lane in 1:56.1 for driver Marc Campbell and trainer Wade Myers.
Live harness racing continues on Monday evening at 6 p.m. (ADT) at Red Shores Summerside. The $4,300 top class on the 11-race card goes as the 10th with Sauble Attack the morning line favourite in the feature event. Trained by Paul Biggar and driven by Kenny Murphy, the Bettors Delight-Ambrosia Seelster gelding has been razor-sharp all season, hitting the board in 11 of his 19 starts and finishing just a half-length shy of victory last week in 1:55.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Summerside Raceway.
(With files from Red Shores)