Last year's Atlantic Ages Mares Pacing Series champion General Luckypercy began her quest to defend the series title on Saturday as the 2013 edition kicked off at Charlottetown Driving Park.
Driven by Gilles Barrieau, General Luckypercy went wire-to-wire to score her first win of the season in 1:56.1 over slight favourite Doober Hoozzitz and first over challenger Private Joke.
Jackie Matheson, a three-time Saturday winner, trains the seven-year-old Blissfull Hall mare for Jodilyn Shepherd of Cambridge, Ont. and Jack Brown of Stratford, P.E.I.
In the second division, favourite J K Special and Walter Cheverie fought off Skylark Hanover for the half-length triumph in 1:56.2. Bunny Mach finished two and a half lengths behind in third.
Stratford's Joseph Smallwood trains and owns the eight-year-old homebred daughter of Cammibest, who won a pair of series divisions in 2012. The win was her third in 10 starts this year.
Co-sponsored by Standardbred Canada and Red Shores Racetrack & Casino, the series is for for aged pacing mares that are Canadian sired and/or 100 per cent Canadian owned. The series continues on Sunday, July 21 at Truro Raceway, followed by legs on Saturday, September 7 at Fredericton Raceway and Sunday, September 15 at Summerside Raceway. The final will be held on Sunday, September 22 at Summerside.
In regular racing action, favourite Abundaspin won the weekly Open Trot in 2:00.4 for trainer/driver Harold Shepherd and owner Mikaela Lustic of Warren Grove, P.E.I. The 13-year-old gelding rallied home off cover to prevail by one and a half lengths over Bucklin Banbury. The win was his fourth in a row since shipping to P.E.I. and 64th lifetime.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.