Multiple stakes victories highlighted a successful trip to Truro Raceway for the father and son, driving and training team of Marc and Landon Campbell on Friday, July 11 as Atlantic Grand Circuit Week wrapped up.
Marc Campbell led all drivers on the 14-race card with six wins, including the perfect three stakes starters sent out by trainer Landon Campbell.
Saulsbrook Rolo ($5.40) was a stakes winner at first asking for the Orwell, P.E.I.-based Campbells, prevailing off a pocket trip in the $20,860 Phil Pinkney Memorial for Nova Scotia foaled or owned two-year-old pacing fillies by a widening four lengths in 1:57. The favoured filly, We Danced Anyway (Redmond Doucet), settled for second after leading through fractions of :28.4, :58.3 and 1:28.1 then holding off Gias Gem (Clare MacDonald) and Saulsbrook Desi (Brodie MacPhee).
The maiden-breaking Roll With Joe filly out of Atlantic stakes star Saulsbrook Alana was a $40,000 yearling purchase from the Atlantic Classic Sale by owner Carl Stafford of Conception Bay South, Nfld.
The Campbell duo also claimed a $12,320 'A' division of the Atlantic Sires Stakes for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings with Phil My Beer ($7.60) defeating last year's Atlantic Breeders Crown champion Malevolent (Paul Langille) by half a length in a career-best 1:54.2 effort. After carving out fractions of :27.4, :57.3 and 1:25.4, he fought off the from-last favourite through the stretch while Camco Luca (Brodie MacPhee) finished 1-3/4 lengths back in third.
The Shanghai Phil-Hazel colt, who was the Atlantic Breeders Crown Consolation winner in his four-for-nine freshman season, earned his second sophomore win to go along with five runner-up finishes in eight starts this year. His career earnings climbed to $46,675 for Prince Edward Island-based owners Brady Doyle and Kent MacDonald of Stratford, Ryan MacLeod of Souris and Brent Campbell of Charlottetown.
Marc Campbell completed a sweep of the 'A' divisions with the Earl Watts-trained All My Lovin ($15.30) making up an early 10-length deficit and wearing down pacesetter Dilicious (Darryl MacLean), who held command through fractions of :27, :57.2 and 1:25.1. The Malicious-Lovineveryminute gelding prevailed by half a length after their back-half duel in a career-best clocking of 1:55. Here On Earth (Paul Langille) rounded out the top three finish order.
All My Lovin earned his first stakes win and now sports a career record reading 3-5-4 from 19 starts with $33,308 earned for owners Windemere Farms of Springvale, P.E.I., Brian&Ira Wallach Racing of Closter, New Jersey, Debbie Denney of Brooklyn, N.S., and Clive Balderston of Moncton, N.B.
Campbell drove the winners of two of the three $6,000 'B' divisions including first-time Sires Stakes winner Big Pond Cash (Pang Shui-N Xample Deal), trained by his son. The Pang Shui-N Xample Deal colt lowered his mark to 1:55. Campbell also drove the John Clarey-trained Bentley (Pang Shui-Western) to a 1:54.2 career-best victory for the colt's second Sires Stakes score.
The other 'B' division was won by Dont Come Lookin (Tobago Cays-Twilight Lady), who prevailed in 1:58.2 with David Dowling driving for the Chris Davies stable.
Picking up the live catch-drive in the $2,500 Winners Over Handicap, Campbell guided the popular nine-year-old pacer American Risk to a 1:53.2 wire-to-wire win for trainer George Rennison and the local Risky Bizz Group.
A Truro track record was set in the Friday opener as undefeated two-year-old pacing colt Artillery Seelster led wire-to-wire in 1:56.4 in his second successful outing for trainer Marc Whebby and owner Wayne Whebby of Dartmouth, N.S. Driver Robert Laffin guided the Bulldog Hanover-Absolute Heaven son, a $34,722 Standardbred Horse Sale yearling purchase, through panels of :29.1, :59.2 and 1:28.1 before a :28.3 finale sealed the deal, putting him 2-3/4 lengths in front of pocket pursuer Blue Jean Baby (Ernie Laffin) at the wire, with Twisted Joke (Kyle Mason) following in third.
The winning time shaved one-fifth of a second off the rookie colt record that stood since October 2005 and was held by P H Super Dave. The overall male rookie record is held by gelding Malignity, who clocked a 1:54 mile in 2022.
Joining Landon Campbell with a trio of winners to tie for top training honours on the card, Gardner McCallum sent out the victorious pacers Atlas Marigold (Carl Isenor), Justa Country Boy (Darren Crowe) and Risin Horizon (Corey MacPherson).
To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Truro Raceway.
(Standardbred Canada; photo of Saulsbrook Rolo winning on July 11)