A Truro Raceway track record that stood for 27 years was broken on Sunday, June 25 at the Nova Scotia oval, as the Carl and Marg MacKenzie Memorial Stakes for three-year-old pacers produced a little bit of everything during the afternoon program.
Trained and driven by Marc Campbell, Elektra Express ($3.90) was on her game on Sunday during the second of the stakes’ filly divisions (Race 2). After having started from Post 6, the brown Western Paradise filly toured Truro Raceway in 1:55.4 to break the 1:56.2 three-year-old pacing filly mark that had stood since 1990. JK Beauty was the filly that set the record in 1990. It had since been equalled by two other fillies, one of which was Elektra Express earlier this month (on June 4).
It is simple to say that Elektra Express paced a huge mile with her track-record effort on Sunday. She started from Post 6 and was parked every step of the way. She was overland in fifth at the :28.1 quarter, outside in fourth at the :57 half, and was two-wide on the lead at the 1:27 three quarters. She drew away from her rivals late, as she was up a length at the three quarters, on top by three at the head of the stretch, and paced off to the six-length win off a :28.4 final quarter. Traces of Purple (driven by Gilles Barrieau) finished second and Kinda Like Her (Kenny Arsenault) was third. Elektra Express is a hombred of Danica Ellis.
The first of the filly divisions took place during Race 10, as the brown Proven Lover lass Filly Forty Seven ($2.50) stretched her 2017 unbeaten streak to five. The Marc Campbell-trained and driven performer started from Post 6, made the lead in the second panel (after the 29-second opening quarter) and was tops the rest of the way. She cut the half in :59.1, spun off three quarters in 1:28.4 and came home in :29.2 for a quarter-length victory in 1:58.1. Pictonian Dazzle (Ryan Ellis) finished second and Winrlosedrnkdaboze (Gilles Barrieau) was third. Filly Forty Seven is owned by Darryl Maclean, Katelyn Smallwood, Cory Carver and Tanya Tremblett.
The Carl and Marg MacKenzie Memorial Stakes consisted of five divisions Sunday, a pair for the fillies and three for colts and geldings.
The Danny Romo-trained and driven Lucbobski ($5.90) got the colt and gelding festivities underway in Race 4 with a convincing six and a half-length score in 1:58.1. The complexion of the contest changed right off the hop, as the heavy favourite, Ashes To Ashes, broke stride behind the gate and spotted the field a 30-length advantage early. After having started from Post 2, Lucbobski, a gelding by Articulator, was second at the quarter pole (:29.1), but was neck and neck with the pacesetter (Southsidelightning) at the :59.3 half. Lucbobski was overland on the lead at the 1:28.2 three-quarters pole, and that was as close as any rival would get to him from there on out. He met the head of the lane four lengths the best and paced home in :29.4 for the win. Jigtime Jones (Rinaldo MacDonald) finished second and Southsidelightning (Mark Bradley) was third. Lucbobski is owned by Robert and Jeffrey Skinner.
There was an even bigger upset in the second division for the male pacers (Race 6), as another Articulator gelding, Howmacs Dragonator ($12.80), clicked at odds of 5-1 for pilot Todd Trites, as he posted a gate-to-wire win in 1:57.2 for trainer Earl Watts. After having started from Post 4, the brown performer crossed over the lead, cut the fractions (:28, :58.3, 1:28.2) and came home in 29 seconds for a three-quarters of one-length win. The favoured Nameisonthehalter (Clare MacDonald) took a pocket ride through the fractions, but couldn’t get up on the leader before the wire. JJ Tanner (Gilles Barrieau) finished third. Debbie Denney owns Howmacs Dragonator.
The third division for the male pacers (Race 8) was deemed a 'no contest' after the Warren MacKinnon-trained and Todd Trites-driven Private Paradise fell to the track after the start of the race.
Both Trites and Private Paradise were unscathed in the incident. They were the only ones to go down on the track. Trites got up and stayed with Private Paradise. The other horses just passed the quarter pole when the race was declared a no contest, as the horse was still down on the track. Private Paradise left the track without much fuss and walked off the track after he got untangled from the race bike and equipment. Trites drove his remaining horses in the card.
The combination of trainer Pamela Moore and driver Darren Crowe clicked during the card’s Winners Over Pace (Race 13), as six-year-old bay mare Badlandia ($14.80) propelled to a one-length victory in 1:57.3 off of a second-over trip. After having raced first up, Heart And Soul (Clare MacDonald) finished second, while the pacesetter, Distinctiv Rusty (Ryan Ellis), hung on for third. Badlandia is owned by Paula White.
To view the harness racing results for Sunday at Truro, click the following link: Sunday Results – Truro Raceway.