Screen Test came swinging for the front right off the bat and was unheeded at every call in the $2,900 New Year’s Eve pacing feature on Thursday evening (Dec. 31) at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
Corey MacPherson was at the lines of the Ron Gass trainee who struck the lead at the opening quarter of 29.1. Burn Out Hanover (Gilles Barrieau) sat in the two-hole and watched the heavily favoured Screen Test strike three-quarters in 1:28.3 before closing out the mile in 1:56.4. Burn Out Hanover held second while Hunger Pangs (David Dowling) was third.
The Kickin Horse Stable and William Andrew hold the ownership papers of Screen Test.
Gass had a pair of training wins on the card, with the other coming courtesy of a Adam Merner driving quadruple. Gass and Merner scored in race 11 with Revenant, a 1:57.2 winner for owner Kyla MacDonald. Merner also won with Whims Drop Off (2:00.1) for trainer Kyle Wilkie, and Bad Silver (2:01) from the Taylor Doyle stable.
The $2,850 Fillies and Mares Open Pace gave Merner his other victory as Dreamfair Zenfire took control of the lead in the stretch drive to win in 1:58.3 for trainer Bo Ford.
Paythelinebluechip sprang a 23-1 upset in the Julep Hanover Memorial Pace (race seven), getting up for a 1:59.2 victory with Dowling in the bike for trainer Jay Noye.
Kenny Arsenault celebrated a driving triple, winning with Lock Her Up (2:00.1) from his own stable, Traces Of Purple (1:58.3) at 10-1 from the Robert Phillips barn, and the 2020 finale with newcomer Chocolate Swirl (1:57.1) for conditioner Jennifer Doyle.
Total handle was $163,659.
Live racing continues Tuesday, Jan. 5 with a 6 p.m. (AST) start time. For more information, go to http://www.redshores.ca.
To view the complete results from the New Year's Eve program, click the following link: Thursday Results – Red Shores Charlottetown.
(Red Shores)