Marc Campbell had a superb night in the sulky on Saturday, June 13 at Charlottetown Driving Park as he won the Cecil Ladner Memorial with Ammo and captured both splits of the Aged Pacing Mares Series as part of a seven-win performance.
Former Breeders Crown champion Ammo put in a gate-to-wire performance to win the $10,000 Ladner Memorial, presented by Ladner Source for Sports, in a dazzling 1:52.2 over a track rated good and a second off. Leaving from post three and sent off at 3-5 odds, Campbell put Ammo on the point to command the fractions of :27, :55.2 and 1:24.2, and the stallion cruised home in :28 to score his third win of the season in 13 outings. Trumpster Blues (Adam Merner) finished second by 2-1/4 lengths with Get Wings (Paul Langille) third.
Ammo, winner of the 2022 Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Colt Pace, was making his first appearance at Charlottetown for new owners Patrick Morris of Charlottetown, P.E.I. and Woodmere Farms of Marshfield, P.E.I. Ron Matheson conditions the six year-old son of Sweet Lou-Beach Gal. The victory, his 21st lifetime in 92 appearances, pushed the pacer’s career earnings to $977,289. He paid $3.30 to win.
Lady Cafe Au Lait claimed the first $9,000 division of the Aged Pacing Mares Series in 1:55.1, stretching her winning streak to five and headlining a grand slam for trainer Earl Watts. After entering the first turn three-wide, she forged to the lead by the quarter in :28.1, set down :57.4 and 1:27.2 middle panels and kicked home to win by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:55.1 over Redland Misspretty (Paul Langille). Tobins Brownie (Adam Merner) finished third.
The winning daughter of Big Jim-Lady Latte is owned by Windemere Farms of Springvale, P.E.I. and Matt and David Burke of Stratford, P.E.I. Lady Cafe Au Lait moved to P.E.I. for those connections in May after back-to-back wins at Woodbine Mohawk Park and is three-for-three since, upping her seasonal record to seven-for-10. Her career record is now 14-for-47, and she has earned $233,652. The win price was $2.10.
Watts also won with Gigis Dream ($2.80) and Big Pond Cash ($5.60), both driven by Campbell, and Starship Sharky ($3.90), piloted by Ryan Desroche. The four wins on the 14-race card raised Watts' 2026 stats to 21-for-58 for a 36.2 per cent strike rate.
Campbell came right back in the second division of the Aged Pacing Mares aboard Sugar Bowl, who won by a neck over Rosetown Mary (Corey MacPherson). Sugar Bowl sat the pocket to Rosetown Mary through :29.2 and :59 splits, then tipped out to attack nearing three-quarters in 1:29 and out-duelled Rosetown Mary through the final quarter for the 1:57 score. Lady Devine (Ken Murphy) was third.
Sugar Bowl, now one-for-three this year, is trained by David O'Brien for Brian MacPhee of Mount Stewart, P.E.I. The seven-year-old daughter of Sweet Lou-Well Read has racked up 26 victories and $163,145 in winnings through 104 lifetime outings. She returned $5.
In addition to his feature wins and those for Watts, Campbell won with Mike McGuigan's Happenedforareason ($3.20) and Neil Bambrick's Big Bad Bruiser ($8.10). The Ladner Memorial win ended a string of five victories in a row for Campbell, who made up significant ground on leader Gilles Barrieau in the drivers' standings. Shooting for his 16th straight Charlottetown title, now has 29 wins at the track in 2026 to Barrieau's 36. He is 35-for-125 overall on the year.
The next P.E.I. live racing event is Tuesday at Red Shores Summerside. Post time is 6 p.m.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(With files from Red Shores)