Three-year-old pacing filly Bettim Jackie handed divisional leader Royaltywestho her first taste of defeat this season in the Atlantic Sires Stakes on Friday evening (July 13) at Red Shores at Summerside Raceway.
Undefeated in five seasonal starts including the first two Sires Stakes legs, Royaltywestho made an early move to the lead off a :28.2 opening quarter ahead of Saulsbrook Coral, but Bettim Jackie and driver Gilles Barrieau rushed up to confront the favourite at the half in :58.2. 'Jackie' stuck a head in front and took over command into the backstretch, pacing away past three-quarters in 1:26.1. After the big :27.4 third quarter, the Andreoli Hanover-Bettim Laura filly won going away in 1:55.3 while Royaltywestho had to settle for second-place, six and a half lengths behind, and Woodmere Wyldstyle got up late for third.
Jeff Lilley bred, trains and co-owns Bettim Jackie with Blair MacLauchlan of Charlottetown and Danny Purcell of Newport, N.S. The filly, who started her season racing in Ontario at Woodbine where she took a mark of 1:53.2, now has nine wins and four seconds from 25 lifetime starts with $72,781 in purse earnings. The victory was her first in the Atlantic Sires Stakes program.
A runner-up in the opening legs, Chocolate Terror solidified her first seasonal and Sires Stakes score in the earlier $13,040 'A' division for driver/trainer Darren Crowe and owner David Livingstone of Halifax, N.S.
Chocolate Terror swept to command after an eventful :57.3 first half during which favourite R Es Shabla broke stride into the turn and Elm Grove Maddy and Elm Grove Mistress dueled through a :28.1 quarter. Chocolate Terror had opened up by three lengths at the 1:26.4 third quarter mark and kept on rolling to win by nearly six while taking a new lifetime mark of 1:56.3. Tobins Terror rallied for second and longshot Kahlua Morning finished third.
The Stonebridge Terror-Chocolate Art filly now boasts a career record reading 5-6-2 from 22 starts with earnings of $38,228.
The $2,500 'B' divisions were won by Izzies Angel (1:58.4) and trainer/driver Terry Gallant, Shy Artie (2:00.1) with Dale Spence driving for trainer Tommy Gunn, and Howmac Impeccable (2:00.4) in rein to David Dowling for the Earl Watts stable.
The sophomore pacing fillies will face off next in the fourth Atlantic Sires Stakes round, set for August 11 at Charlottetown Driving Park.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Summerside Raceway.