The spotlight was on sophomore pacers Saturday evening at Charlottetown Driving Park as four $3,000 Maritime Breeders eliminations were contested
. Fillies Bettim Laura and Meridian Magic, and colts Island Redemption and Allbentouttashape kept their win streaks in tact with front-end scores in their respective assignments.
Undefeated in four starts this season, Bettim Laura and trainer-driver Jeff Lilley left from Post 4 and carved out fractions of :29.4, 1:01.2 and 1:30.4 before tripping the teletimer in 2:00.1. Shesa Mint (Mark Bradley) finished one length behind off a two-hole trip with C H Yocoohno (Ken Arsenault) third.
The daughter of Largo-Bettim Amanda has won two Atlantic Sires Stakes divisions and a Ruby Chappell Memorial Stake division for earnings totaling $11,661 this season. She is owned and bred by Danny Purcell of Newport, NS.
Trainer-driver Ken Arsenault and Meridian Magic, who has won her last 14 starts including three this year, left from Post 8 and edged out Ultimate Faith (Robert Laffin) at the opening quarter in :29.2 before rolling past the half in 1:00.2 and three-quarters in 1:31.2 en route to a 2:01.1 score. R Es Miss Jen (Darren Crowe) rallied off cover to finish one and a half length behind the favourite with Hey Jean (Marc Campbell) completing the top three.
Breeder Barry Martin and James Gillis of Sydney, NS share ownership of the Largo-Hot Asset filly, who won an Atlantic Sires Stake and Rudy Chappell Memorial Stake division this season. With today’s victory, Meridian Magic has earned $7,899 in 2010.
Island Redemption and trainer-driver Gilles Barrieau left from Post 6 and went wire-to-wire to win the first colt elimination while the favoured P H Hotshot (Todd Trites) made an early break taking himself out of contention. Island Redemption led through fractions of :28.1, :58.4 and 1:28.2 before tripping the teletimer in 1:58.1 with one and three-quarter lengths to spare. Rugged Coast (Darren Crowe) finished second over the pocket-sitting Island Dominator (Jason Hughes).
Island Redemption paid $11.80 to win as the 4-1 third choice. The son of Sea Gull Hershey-Luscious Character has won his last four of five seasonal starts for owners Alfred Barrieau of Dieppe and Michael Clinton of Saint John, NB.
Favourite Allbentouttashape turned in the fastest elim winning in a career-best 1:56.4 effort. The son of Quick Comeback-C A Lady left from Post 5 with Arsenault in the bike and carved out factions of :28.1, :59.1 and 1:27.3 en route to a half-length score over early challenger Mr Salming (Gilles Barrieau). 105-1 Ultimate Yankee (Robert Laffin) came on for third.
Allbentouttashape, who won his season’s debut in an Atlantic Sires Stakes event, is now two-for-two this year with $5,865 earned and extends his win streak, which began last season, to nine. The son of Quick Comeback-C A Lady is trained by Sean Dooley, who also shares ownership as part of the Dooley Boys Racing Stable of Halifax, NS.
Both the three-year-old filly and colt finals will take place next Saturday, June 19 at Charlottetown.
Saturday's $2,400 Joe MacRae Memorial went to St Pete Star, who rallied off the pace to win in 1:55.4 with Marc Campbell in the bike for trainer Danny Romo and owner Paul Gray of Pugwash, NS.
To view Saturday's results, click here.