Three-year-old pacing fillies faced off in their second Atlantic Sires Stakes segment of the season on Sunday afternoon at Truro Raceway.
Southfield Sophie won the fastest of four $6,660 'A' divisions after touring the half-mile oval in 1:59.2. Driven by her trainer Terry Gallant, the Western Paradise-Ricotta Hanover miss fired to the front from post seven and rolled past fractions of :28.1, :59 and 1:29.1 en route to the three and three-quarter length score. Larshecomes (Clare MacDonald) advanced first over for second place honours and Tobins Knockout (Mark Bradley) finished third off a pocket trip. Favourite Ms Thelma (Mike Stevenson) broke stride early on.
Despite turning in a career-best 1:59 score in her Rudy Chappell Memorial Stake division last start, Southfield Sophie was the fifth choice among the betting public and returned $13.80 to her backers. She is now two-for-four on the year for owner Southfield Farms Inc. of Summerside, P.E.I.
Trained and driven by Marc Campbell, Malabrigo kept her sophomore record perfect with a 2:00.3 triumph in her division. The streaking filly made up an early five length deficit when she swept to command from fourth after the :30-second opening quarter, then carved out middle splits of 1:01.1 and 1:31, and turned back a first over challenge from Cash An Clay (Kenny Arsenault) into the stretch. The 1-2 favourite won by a length over pocket-sitter J J Maywest (Mike Stevenson) and Elm Grove Girlzone (Marc Bradley).
Malabrigo paid $3.10 to win. She won her first Atlantic Sires Stakes event of the season in a career-best 1:59 and a division of the Rudy Chappell Memorial prior to today's victory. The Western Paradise-Lots Abunny miss, last year's Maritime Breeders Futurity champion and Atlantic Breeders Crown runner-up, is owned by Buntainwood Farm, Brackley Beach, P.E.I.
A As Glory ($12.10) and Oduya ($16.30) earned their initial victories of the year with matching 1:59.4 clockings in the other two divisions. Andrew Ward of Saint John, N.B. owns, trains and bred A As Glory, a Carlspur-Dies Morning Glory filly, who was driven by Mike Stevenson to a one length win over Shes Astronomical (Darren Crowe) and favourite Just Lovey (Danny Romo). Oduya romped to a five and a half length victory in her split over favourite Sweetwater Teaha (Brian MacPhee) and April Dawns Star (Mike Stevenson) for trainer-driver Clare MacDonald, who bred and co-owns the Western Paradise-Island Tradition filly with Morah Kerr of Greenfield, N.S.
P H Ivy won the first of two $2,500 'B' divisions in 2:03 for trainer, driver and co-owner Kevin Bailey while Gilles Barrieau steered Showhall to a 2:01.1 triumph in the other split for owner and trainer Clair Sweet.
The next sophomore pacing filly leg is set for July 13 at Summerside Raceway. Points earned in each Atlantic Sires Stakes “A” event go towards earning a spot in the season-ending Atlantic Breeders Crown championship. This year’s event will be hosted by Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park on October 6 and 7.
In regular racing action, the Clare MacDonald-driven Maritimer ($7.90) took a new lifetime mark of 1:56.2 in the $1,225 Winners Over Pace, winning by a length over the popular pacesetter Oakmont (Danny Romo). The four-year-old of Full Scholarship, who is now three-for-nine on the season, is trained by Nicholas White for owner Barbara Pearl of Hants Co., N.S.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Truro Raceway.