Island Breeders Championship Day At CDP

Saturday was Island Breeders Championship Day at Charlottetown Driving Park featuring six stakes worth over $65,000 in purses. The favourites dominated the card with win streaks and an undefeated record continuing

over the 'good' surface rated three seconds slow

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Trainer-driver Ralph Annear nearly swept the trotting divisions, but his first starter was disqualified for a pylon violation.

Maritime Breeders Futurity champion Moulded Image and driver Leonard Myers inherited the victory in the first $7,800 Island Breeders Final for two-year-old trotters after first place finisher and odds-on favourite Sweetwater Rukkus and Annear were set back to sixth.

Moulded Image fired off the gate from the outside Post 7 and settled into the two-hole behind Dusty Red Lane (Paul Lanigan). Myers pulled the son of Meadowagogo-Chloe K from the pocket and swept to command at the third quarter station, but the quick-closing Sweetwater Rukkus rallied from fourth to prevail by one and a quarter lengths in 2:10.4 over the off track. However, Sweetwater Rukkus had gone inside of three consecutive pylons and was placed backed to sixth for gaining an unfair advantage. Moulded Image’s winning time was 2:11 with longshots B J Carmalyta (Bert Honkoop) and Majian Dillon (James Ripley) inheriting second and third place honours.

Moulded Image has won three times and has never missed a paycheque in 11 career starts to earn $20,210 for local owners Blair Hansen, trainer Tom Weatherbie and John Cormier. The 9-2 fourth choice in the field paid $11.60 to win.

The Annear-trained and driven filly Maple Leaf Spirit recovered from an early break in stride and made up a 19 length deficit to prevail by a nose in 2:08.3 in the following $8,000 Island Breeders Final for three-year-old trotters. Rustico Redflame (Joey Pineau) finished second with Harmony T (Leonard Myers) over two and a quarter lengths back in third.

The popular Meadowagogo-Maple Leaf Legacy filly notched her first win for new owners Larocque Racing Stable Inc. of Thornhill, Ont., and Tatum MacNeil of Richmond Hill, Ont. and ran her current win streak up to five. She now boasts 11 stakes wins in 13 seasonal starts with two second place finishes also on her record. Maple Leaf Spirit has banked $41,784 in 2011.

The top choices delivered front end winning performances the rest of the way.

J J Maywest and driver Mike Stevenson, the 5-2 third choice, wired the field of two-year-old pacing fillies and held off pocket-sitter Aprils Dawn Star (Clare MacDonald) to win their $13,000 Island Breeders Final by a neck in 2:03. Favourite Malabrigo (Marc Campbell) missed by just a half-length after rallying three-wide from the backfield and storming home.

The daughter of Western Paradise-Jenn Of Art, who is now six-for-11 in her career with $32,017 banked, is trained by Blaine McKenna for owner Gary Aitken of Summerside, P.E.I.

The perfect Big League, with Kenny Arsenault at the reins, romped to a three-length tally in 2:00.2 in the $13,000 Island Breeders Final for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings. Touch Of Lightning (Earl Smith) and Mr Thompson (Mike Stevenson) followed along in second and third.

The popular son of Four Starzzz Shark-Bolero Tam Tam, who now six-for-six in his career, is trained by Sean Dooley for the Dooley Boys Racing Stable of Halifax, N.S., and Cheryl Geldart Greer of Norton, N.B. His earnings climbed to $14,940.

With Shane Bernard in the bike, favourite Charolettes Maggie was also a wire-to-wire winner in the $13,000 Island Breeders Final for three-year-old pacing fillies. The daughter of Royal Mattjesty-Midnight Beach turned back a challenge from first over Moon Landing (Todd Trites) past the three-quarters mark and prevailed by one and a half length over pocket-sitter Honey Do Jigtime (Clare MacDonald). Diamond Coast (Kenny Arsenault) rallied three-wide from the backfield to show.

The win was Charolettes Maggie's fourth in a row and 12th of the season in 16 starts giving trainer Tom Weatherbie a stakes double. She is owned by Charlottetown resident Shaun MacIsaac. Her earnings now stand at $41,222.

Odds-on Maritimer front stepped his way to a narrow 2:00.1 victory in the $13,000 Island Breeders Final for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings with Clare MacDonald in the sulky. The son of Full Scholarship-Country Chill turned back first over Tobins Fortune (Mike Stevenson) past the three-quarters mark, kept eventual third place finisher Camcun (Kenny Arsenault) half a length at bay down the stretch, and held off the late rallying 33-1 shot Pictonian Fancypas (Bruce McGean) to win by a nose.

Maritimer notched his third win in a row and ninth of the season in 15 tries while pushing his 2011 bankroll to $42,555. George Rennison trains the bay colt for Barbara Pearl of Hants Co, N.S.

Amidst the stakes action, five-year-old Pistols N Spurs mare Diana Car and trainer-driver Marc Campbell won the $1,500 Open Handicap Trot in front end fashion, in a time of 2:04, by three-quarters of a length over slight favourite Saulsbrook Balance (Willie Murphy). She is owned by Michael Bailey and Ambrose Laybolt of Morell, P.E.I.

To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.