Flemsteen held off Buckhead Ridge by a head to capture a speedy $5,000 Open Trot on Thursday, July 9 at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
Ken Murphy guided the Jennifer Doyle trainee out of second to the lead approaching the quarter in :28, and Flemsteen produced middle splits of :57 and 1:26.2. Buckhead Ridge (Marc Campbell) launched from third down the backstretch and slugged it out through the last eighth of a mile with Flemsteen, who hung on to prevail in 1:54.4. Fight Song (Jason Hughes) completed the triactor.
Flemsteen took his third win against P.E.I.'s top trotters in his fifth start on the Island. The eight-year-old son of Explosive Matter-Lost Symbol is now six-for-16 this year. Max Webster Stable of Inverness, N.S. co-owns him with Jeffrey Skinner of Hammonds Plains, N.S., Derrill Murphy of Lethbridge, Alta. and Clair Murphy of Millvale, P.E.I. The gelding, who set the Charlottetown all-age trot record earlier this year, recorded his 37th career win on Thursday and raised his earnings to $852,769 from 157 starts. He paid $3.40 to win.
Cc Rockin Rosie ($2.60) rallied off cover to capture the $4,650 featured mares conditioned pace in Race 12, giving trainer Adam Merner the second half of a training double. Merner was in the bike for owners Steven MacDonald of Stanhope, P.E.I. and Tommy Collings of Mount Stewart, P.E.I. as the four-year-old Rockin Image-Sir Lehigh Z Tam mare stopped the clock in 1:56. She won by a quarter-length over Saulsbrook Pika (Corey MacPherson), with Jm Sportsfan (Steven Shepherd) third.
Merner's first training victory on the night came in the 11th race as Lady Llamrei ($12) unleashed a strong first-over bid to score in 1:58 with Merner also in the race bike. The four-year-old Arthur Blue Chip-Sestina mare, owned by Marsha Knox of Stanhope, held off Mystical Gal (Murphy) by 1-1/4 lengths with Psili Ammos (Kenny Arsenault) third.
Marc Campbell led all drivers on the 13-dash program with three victories. The veteran reinsman guided Nobel Hanover ($2.20) to a dominant 1:56.4 score for trainer Jeff Holmes in the opener, then added a win with Hatchling ($2.60) for trainer Landon Campbell in 1:56.2 in Race 7 before completing the hat trick with Steady Heart ($2.20) in the finale for trainer Bo Ford in 1:55.4.
Live racing continues on Saturday at 5 p.m. at Red Shores Charlottetown.
To view Thursday's harness racing results, click the following link: Thursday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(Red Shores)