Sophomore pacing fillies starred in Atlantic Sires Stakes action on Friday night at Summerside Raceway. A trio $8,660 “A” divisions were featured along with four $2,500 “B” splits
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In the fastest division of the night, favourite Southview Spirit and driver Walter Cheverie led the field through early panels of :28 and :58 before coming under attack by P H Princess (Todd Trites). Southview Spirit surrendered the lead during the third interval and remained in the pocket through three-quarters in 1:27.3, but the Western Paradise filly unleashed a :29.4 final quarter to pull ahead in the stretch to win in 1:57.4.
P H Princess finished a half-length back in second while Tammys Little Star (Jason Hughes) rounded out the top three.
The Charles McGee pupil now sports a sophomore record reading 5-1-1 in seven starts with $24,018 earned for owner/breeder Elwood Lawton of Stratford and Arleen Harris of Cornwall, P.E.I. Last year’s Atlantic Breeders Crown and Maritime Breeders Futurity runner-up has won 10 times in her career with $59,594 banked.
Run Them Down, sent postward as the betting favourite, used a pocket trip to her advantage in the second “A” division. The homebred daughter of Largo and driver Gilles Barrieau followed R Es Mary (Earl Smith) through splits of :29.1, 1:00 and 1:29.3, before pulling the pocket in the stretch and sprinting home in :29-seconds to win by a quarter-length in 1:58.4.
R Es Mary stayed for second and Elleofnxample (Clare MacDonald) came on for third.
Stephen Mason trains the winner of $16,987 has put together a record reading 4-1-2 in 10 starts this year for the Downey Stables of Saint John, N.B. Run Them Down has won five times in her career earning a total of $26,683.
Post time favourite Darko capped off the night with a 1:59.2 victory in the final “A” division for driver Kenny Arsenault and owner/trainer Ralph Annear. The Largo filly left from Post 1 and carved out panels of :29.1, :59.2 and 1:30 without facing any serious challenges. She clocked her final quarter in :29.2 en route to a 1:59.2 triumph.
Woodmere Humdinger (Gilles Barrieau) finished three-quarters of a length back in second off a pocket trip and Brookie Neighneigh (Todd Trites) was third.
Darko, a $4,700 Atlantic Classic sale purchase, is now three-for-six in her three-year-old campaign with earnings totaling $13,163. Last year’s Maritime Breeders Futurity champion is now a 10-time career winner with $69,661 banked.
In the first of four ATSS “B” divisions, Jk Neville lowered her mark to 2:00 with a wire-to-wire score for the tandem of driver Darren Crowe and trainer Fred Saunders. The Western Paradise filly nosed out her competition to pick up her fourth win of the year in nine starts for owners Robert Neville and Gerald Crane of Sydney, N.S.
Miss Decker, who was interfered with by the breaking Waterside Lucky (Kenny Arsenault) at the first quarter, converted a pocket trip into a 2:02.1 victory by nine and a half lengths with Mike Stevenson at the controls. Unraced at two, the daughter of Western Success won for the first time in two career outings for trainer Glenn MacKay and owner Allan Macnutt of Kinnear Settlement, N.B.
Driven by Gary Chappell, the Stacey Lund trained, Sybil rallied off a two-hole trip in the stretch to win her division by a head in a career-best 2:01.2. The daughter of Largo picked up her second win in six tries this year for owner Roger Wall of Kensington, P.E.I.
Robert MacInnis tipped Elm Grove Dallas three-wide from second-over at the third quarter mark and the Rayson Hanover miss sprinted home in :28.1 to win her “B” division by five and three-quarter lengths in a new lifetime mark of 2:01.3. Vance Cameron trains Elm Grove Dallas and shares ownership with Robert Gordon of Elmsdale, P.E.I. The win was her first of the year.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click here.