The King of Island harness racing did not disappoint on the first championship card of the 2017 season Saturday night at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
Marc Campbell scored six wins on the 12-dash program including a mild upset with Filly Forty Seven in the $23,600 Ken Starratt Memorial Maritime Breeders final for three-year-old pacing fillies.
Heavy favourite Elektra Express went to front in the rich final with Ryan Ellis at the lines behind the Marc Campbell trainee and laid down fractions of :27.4, :56.4 and 1:26.3 over the sloppy, rain-soaked track. Campbell, electing to steer Filly Forty Seven in the event, showed he picked the right horse late in the mile, as he had her land in the winner's circle after tipping first-over at three-quarters to overpower Elektra Express, who finished third, with Kinda Like Her (Kenny Arsenault) finishing second.
Filly Forty Seven is owned by Darryl MacLean of Winsloe, Katelyn Smallwood of Stratford, Cory Carver of Montague and Tanya Tremblett of Nova Scotia.
Campbell's other wins on the program came aboard Windemere Dancenart in 2:01.2 and Howmacs Dragonator in 2:00.2 -- both for trainer Earl Watts -- while Campbell trainee Johnny Moe was a 1:59.4 winner and Sharks Play was dead-heated for win in 2:02.3 against Windsun Rebel (Vaughan Doyle).
The sixth and final Campbell victory was in the $2,400 Preferred Pace as he teamed up with Mr Irresistible for a 1:55.1 win over Adkins Hanover (Corey MacPherson) and Heart And Soul (Clare MacDonald). Danny Birt of Stratford owns Mr Irresistible while Jennifer Trainor does the training.
The $21,400 Doug Harkness Memorial Maritime Breeders Final for three-year-old pacing colts saw Campbell go down to defeat as the heavy post-time favorite as Ashes To Ashes overcame Post 8 to win in 1:56.1. Gilles Barrieau engineered the winning trip behind the Jackie Matheson trainee for owners Linda Somers of Cornwall, Alan Conway of Summerside and Lynn Livingstone of Kensington.
Tobinator (MacPherson) was on top at the 28.1 quarter before Island Energetic and Campbell came rushing hard to set up the 57.1 half and 1:26.4 three-quarters on top before Barrieau converted second-over cover into a mad dash to the wire and a half-length victory. Island Energetic was second with Nameisonthehalter (Adam Merner) finishing third.
Barrieau was all smiles in the winner's circle with Ashes To Ashes.
"I loved this colt the first time I drove him," Barrieau said. "Just a real nice colt. Tonight we had the eight hole but we got towed into it pretty good."
It was the second win on the night for Barrieau and Matheson as they visited the winner's circle earlier on the card with Clic K in 1:58.1 while Barrieau also had a maiden breaking score with his own Word Game in 2:03.3 to give him the driving triple.
For full results from Saturday's card, click the following link: Saturday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(with files from Red Shores)