The “King of Island Harness Racing" reclaimed his throne on Thursday, June 19 at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park, as Marc Campbell delivered a dominant five-win performance, including a clean sweep of the four featured events.
The 14-dash card featured the second leg of the All Star Cresting Trot Series for $5,500, two $5,200 P.E.I. Colt Stakes Graduate Series Grassroots splits for aged pacing mares, presented by JD Marine and Diving Inc., and a $4,200 Open Trot.
Bless Me Father ($2.50) was the second winner for Campbell as the gelding repeated in the All Star Cresting Trot Series for three-year-olds in Race 8. He reached the lead after a :30.2 first panel, set :59.2 and 1:29.4 middle splits, and coasted home in 1:58.3 off a :28.4 final quarter. He defeated Supreme Rockette (Gilles Barrieau) by two lengths with Oceanview Nikki (Mike McGuigan) completing the ticket.
Bless Me Father, a Father Patrick-My Angel Heart gelding, is owned and trained by Donna Van Meer of Mount Herbert, P.E.I. He took a new lifetime mark with Thursday's win, his fifth lifetime in nine outings. He won the first leg of this series last week and is unbeaten in two starts this year.
In Race 14, Windemere Saddy ($3.40) was all business on the front-end in her P.E.I. Colt Stakes Graduate Series Grassroots division for pacing mares, laying down snappy fractions of :27.1, :56, and 1:25.4 before sealing the deal with a 29-second closer to trip the timer in 1:54.4. Magnificent Mia (Corey MacPherson) was 1-1/2 lengths back in second, followed by Freaky Fanny (Darren Crowe).
Windemere Saddy, a Malicious-Hart Of Windemere mare, is owned by Shane Esson of Moncton, N.B., Saul Lanigan of Cambridge, P.E.I., Darcy Doyle of Moncton, and Isaac Schurman of Kensington, P.E.I. Lanigan trains the four-year-old, who paced the quickest mile of the night in a new career best. The mare is now 10-for-40 lifetime.
In Race 11, the first P.E.I. Colt Stakes Graduate Series Grassroots split, Woodmere Kennedie ($3.70) cut fractions of :28.3, :58.1, and 1:27.2 as she made every call a winning one in 1:56.1 with Campbell in the seat. The Rollwithitharry-Four Starz Roe mare held firm on the lead, turning back the challenge of Islebetu Islebeatu (Barrieau), who finished second by a length, and Allaboutthebet (Brady Sweet), who was third.
Woodmere Kennedie, a four-year-old trained by Landon Campbell for owner Mike Pollard of Stratford, P.E.I., has won seven of her 39 career starts.
In the 10th race, the $4,200 Open Trot, Buckhead Ridge ($2.70) extended his winning streak to six for Marc Campbell and his son, trainer Landon Campbell, in 1:57.2. The five-year-old Nuncio-Tuonela gelding sat the pocket as a front-end duel created fractions of :29, :58.2, and 1:28. He slipped out on the final turn, dispatched leader New Legacy (David Dowling), and cruised to a 1-1/4-length victory over Fight Song (Jason Hughes). New Legacy finished third.
Buckhead Ridge is unbeaten since moving to P.E.I. for trainer Brody Doyle of Stratford with six straight wins. He is 11-for-43 lifetime.
Campbell’s other win came in Race 2 aboard Steady Heart ($2.60) in 1:55.3 for trainer Bo Ford and the ownership group of Ford, Arnold Myers, Luke Beck and Scott Bridges.
Campbell’s five victories on the evening propelled him to 33 wins on the season to give him the lead in the drivers' standings again for the 16th straight season with Barrieau in second at 31 winners in 2025.
To view Thursday's harness racing results, click the following link: Thursday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(With files from Red Shores; photo of Bless Me Father winning on June 19)