After disappointing as the favourite and finishing second in last week’s edition of the Fillies & Mares Open at the Charlottetown Driving Park, Meridian Magic bounced back with a narrow tally in Thursday evening’s edition of the
class.
In rein to trainer/driver Kenny Arsenault, the four-year-old daughter of Largo-Hot Asset got away last in the seven-mare affair, before moving up on the rim and working her way up to be sixth at the mid-way point. Arsenault had the photogenic pacer three-wide at the three-quarter pole while sitting fifth, and they were up to fourth as the field mare the turn at the top of the stretch.
She uncorked a :29.1 rally en route to winning by a neck over La Pensee Du Jour in a time of 1:58.2. Wild Heart, who threw down fractions of :28.3, :58.3 and 1:28.3, faded late and wound up finishing third.
Sent off as the 1-2 favourite, Meridian Magic improved her 2011 record to 2-1-0 in three starts for owners Barry Martin and James Gillis of Sydney, Nova Scotia. After going 16-for-17 as a sophomore, Thursday’s win gives her an overall record of 29-3-2 from 34 assignments. The lion’s share of the purse lifted her lifetime earnings to $160,994.
To view results for Thursday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Thursday Results – Charlottetown Driving Park.