With Corey MacPherson in the bike for trainer Ronnie Gass, Caliban Hanover lowered his mark in Charlottetown Driving Park’s $1,400 Open Handicap Trot on Saturday
afternoon over track rated two seconds off.
Caliban Hanover, sent postward as the bettor’s choice, advanced first up from fourth after a :29.4 opening quarter and reached the half in 1:00.3. The four-year-old son of Andover Hall-Crown Lavec opened up three and a half lengths on the field by three-quarters in 1:31 before tripping the teletimer in 2:02.2.
Cavalry Officer (Marc Campbell) finished three and three-quarters of a length behind in second and Inscribed (Harold Shepherd) rounded out the top three.
Caliban Hanover, a winner of five races in 32 starts and $6,875 this year, is owned by Wendell Macdonald of Cornwall, P.E.I.
In the $2,200 feature pace, 3-1 third choice Yankee Sun and trainer-driver Kenny Arsenault survived a first over journey to win in 1:59.1 by a head over the pocket-sitter and favourite Olivia Hall (Ron Matheson). Pacesetter Island Jazzystar (Corey MacPherson) finished a half-length behind.
The eight-year-old son of Yankee Cam-Soleil Groover notched his third straight victory and 15th of the season in 33 starts pushing his earnings to $17,698 for the BM Stable of Grande-Digue, N.B.
Aahm Cruisin, with Ron Matheson, sat sixth for most of the mile and rallied off cover in the stretch to capture the $1,700 Atlantic Bursary Program Pace in 2:00.2 for trainer Ambyr MacPhee and owner Anthony Beaton, of Inverness, N.S.
The victory was his sixth in 30 starts lifting his 2009 earnings to $6,408. Favourite Pans O Silver (Brian MacPhee) finished a length behind in second and Southview Angie (Daniel MacDonald), the longest shot on the board at 30-1, finished third.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click here.