Saturday afternoon's card of harness racing at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park featured three top-class tilts with favourites upset in all three.
The top open pacers in Prince Edward Island lined up in the $2,500 Preferred Pace, featuring a full field of nine that was scratched down to eight. Favoured Winter Blast (Jason Hughes) made the front from post five, but his rivals didn't allow for a breather as Rockin Indy (Corey MacPherson) pressured the pacesetter through punishing opening panels of 28.2 and 57.2. As Rockin Indy started to back away down the backside, Salmonier Storm (Ambyr Campbell) was launched three-wide from third over and advanced position to second by the time the third quarter was reached in 1:28.3. Winter Blast and Salmonier Storm traded meteorological blows around that final turn and through the stretch, but the sting was taken out of Winter Blast after those harsh early fractions and Salmonier Storm breezed by to trip the timer in 1:58.2. Winter Blast stayed for a valiant second, just a half-length back with I C True Grit (Mike McGuigan) completing the triactor.
Owned by Brian MacPhee, Salmonier Storm picked up his 25th career win for trainer-driver Campbell. The seven-year-old son of Western Ideal - Quest Hanover, sent off at odds of 18-1, picked up his third straight victory to push his bankroll to $28,968.
Earlier on the card, Drew Neill completed his first ever driving triple at Charlottetown with a 10-1 upset aboard Collective Wisdom in the $2,350 Open Mares Pace. Neill settled Collective Wisdom away second from last before getting spotted second over behind Prettyndangerous (David Dowling), the first over challenger to pacesetter Drivingthedragon N (Hughes). After Prettyndangerous cleared to the top as the third quarter flashed up in 1:29.3, Collective Wisdom was left to forge first up. Trailing by more than length turning for home, Collective Wisdom powered past in deep stretch for the three-quarter length decision over Prettyndangerous. Outrageous Spirit (Gord Hennessey) rounded out the top three.
Jackie Matheson trains and Bruce Wood owns Collective Wisdom(American Ideal - Michelles Destiny), a half-sister to former O'Brien Award winner Luck Of Michelle. The win was the fourth of the season and 12th lifetime, pushing her purses to $81,931 lifetime.
Frill Seeker started the parade of upsets in the featured events with a gate-to-wire score in the $1,800 Open Handicap Trot. Brian Blanchard positioned the veteran trotter on top early and carved out fractions of :31.3, 1:03.2 and 1:34.4 before sealing the deal with a :30.4 closer to hold off favoured Suicide Shift for the 2:05.3 score.
Ken Arsenault trains Frill Seeker (Angus Hall - Yankee Frilly) for Ebbsfleet Stables of Stratford, Ont. Still competitive at the age of 10, Frill Seeker notched his 49th career win. His career earnings stand at $213,981.
Industry participants also acknowledged the passing of horseman Brian Andrew with a moment of silence and the traditional horseshoe of honour.
For the results from the Saturday card at Charlottetown, click the following link: Saturday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.