Harold Shepherd worked out a perfect pocket trip aboard Dunmore Alpha to prevail over pacesetter Hopedale Last Bill in the $1,400 Open Handicap Trot at Charlottetown Driving Park on Saturday afternoon
.
Dunmore Alpha and Shepherd tracked Hopedale Last Bill and Joey Pineau through fractions of :30.3, 1:02.4 and 1:34.1 before springing into action. The seven-year-old son of Black River-Princess Victory pulled the pocket in the stretch and came on to score in 2:04.2 by a head. Awesome Edna finished one and three-quarter lengths behind for Doug MacGregor.
Dunmore Alpha, the 5-2 second choice in the field of six, paid $7.20 to win. Owned and trained by Edward Smallwood, the bay gelding notched his sixth victory in 31 seasonal starts while bumping his earnings to $7,362. Lifetime, Dunmore Alpha has won 31 races and earned $58,736.
Blu Meadow Willie and driver Robert MacInnis pushed the throttle and released a final quarter in :29.1 seconds to capture the Saturday afternoon feature pace in 1:59.2.
The six-year-old gelding, co-owned by Brenda MacInnis of Summerside, P.E.I., won the $2,000 class in fine form turning back last week's winner Life Savior (Marc Campbell). After sitting sixth for most of mile and fifth at the head of stretch, MacInnis teamed the son of Drop Off-Blu Meadow Eve home for the two length victory. Roscoes Child (Walter Cheverie) was third.
It was Blu Meadow Willie's third win in his last four starts and eighth on the season in 31 starts pushing his earnings to $9,734 and $44,378 lifetime.
The program was marred by an accident in the third race when Falcons Kwik fell going into the first turn. Driver Carl Bagnall was thrown to the track but walked away from the spill. Bagnall returned to the paddock where he was transported by ambulance to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital to be check over by the medical team. Falcons Kwik was not injured in the mishap.
To view Saturday’s results, click here.
(With files from Red Shores)