The Young Guns Pacing Series eliminations for three and four-year-old horses and geldings highlighted Charlottetown Driving Park’s Saturday afternoon program with Howmacs Dropnick and War Dancer prevailing in their respective $1,750 assignments
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In the first elimination, Howmacs Dropnick won his second career start for trainer Donald Sweetman and owner Melvin Willis of Cambridge, Ont.
Brian MacPhee settled the three-year-old Drop Off gelding into the pocket position from the four hole and tracked Ok Brilliant (Allan Earl Smith) through panels of :28.4, :58 and 1:28.4.
Woodmere Shamis (Darren Crowe) advanced first-over through the middle panels but failed to make the lead. Down the stretch, Howmacs Dropnick stepped on the accelerator and out-sprinted the pacesetter to win in 1:59.2 by a length and a quarter. Elnino Nico (Terry Gallant) rounded out the top three.
In the second elimination, War Dancer put on his game face and the Western Paradise sophomore colt went wire-to-wire to win in a life’s-best 1:58.1 for trainer/driver Mike Stevenson and his Maritime connections Boyd Macdonald Prodce Ltd., Daniel Ross and Charles Seymour.
War Dancer took off from Post 3 and put up fractions of :29.4, 1:00.3 and 1:30.2 before sprinting home in :27.4 for the three and a quarter-length win over Pictonian Hector (Jimmy Davis) and Porthill Galaxy (Ken Arsenault).
War Dancer maintained his perfect record of three-for-three with his second seasonal score.
The $3,000 (added) final is scheduled for next Saturday, May 23.
To view Saturday’s results, click here.