Sock It Away showed he did not need an inside post position or to see any pylons in the first lap to capture the $18,000 Doug Harkness Memorial Maritime Breeders final for three-year-old pacing colts Saturday, June 16 at Charlottetown Driving Park.
Marc Campbell was at the lines of Sock It Away as he left from post 8 and elected to take the overland route to the front. Race favourite Half Cut laid the early splits of :27.4 and :56.3 with Sock It Away in the outer flow before clearing to the lead past the half. Through three-quarters in 1:26.2, Sock It Away cruised home to a 1:56.1 victory over Dowahs Boy and Woodmere Ideal Art. The winning colt is trained by Kevin MacLean for owner Reg MacPherson of Stratford.
Royaltywestho landed in the winner’s circle in the first three-year-old pacing filly stakes final of the 2018 season as Walter Cheverie guided her to victory in the $22,100 Ken Starratt Maritime Breeder’s final. R Es Shabla set the tempo on the front with splits of :28.2, :58.2 and 1:28.3 with Royaltywestho stalking in the pocket. Cheverie moved the daughter of Westwardho Hanover down the stretch and she responded with a :28.2 closing panel for a time of 1:57.1. R Es Shabla was second with Woodmere Ceilidh completing the triactor. The champion filly is owned by Gregory Francis and Joseph Baxter of Windsor, N.S., with Baxter also handling the training.
Euchred was the winner in the $2,650 Preferred pace in the fastest mile of the 2018 Atlantic Canadian racing season with a time of 1:54.4 for driver Adam Merner, trainer Terry Gallant and owner Kayla Habicht Walker of Inverness, N.S. A hard closing Czar Seelster finished second with the show prize going to Cartoon Daddy.
(With files from Red Shores Charlottetown)
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.