Jaycob Sweet sent out three winners for a training triple on the 12-race card at Summerisde Raceway on Tuesday, July 21.
Sweet steered all three of his victorious pupils and picked up the first two-thirds of his trio with back-to-back scores in the fourth and fifth races. In the fourth, he rallied Timberlea Convict ($6.90) from 7-1/2 lengths back at the half to lead turning for home with a blinding backstretch brush on the way to a five-length victory in 2:00.4. Timberlea Convict, a three-year-old son of All Bets Off-Case Dismissed, broke his maiden in his seventh career start for Timberlea Standardbreds of Alberton, P.E.I.
Different tactics prevailed in the fifth, the Bernie and Ron MacArthur Memorial, though not without drama. Sweet took the lead with Marc It Up ($6.50) past the quarter via a give-and-go and turned for home in front, and the weary four-year-old Sunshine Beach-On The Minute Mark gelding dug in to hold off all but one foe. That rival was Usurper (Ken Murphy), who broke stride nearing the wire and was thus placed second, elevating Marc It Up to victory in a 1:59.1 mile. He tallied his first win of the season in 17 starts for owners Jeff Lilley and Blair MacLauchlan of Charlottetown, P.E.I. and Marc Gallant of Summerside, P.E.I.
Bettim Alive ($10.10) completed the Sweet triple with a gate-to-wire effort in the ninth race. The four-year-old son of Lazarus N-Bettim Laura was first across the line in 1:54.4 for Lilley and MacLauchlan, earning his third seasonal win in 11 tries.
Sweet, in his eighth season as a trainer, has 14 wins from 95 starts, putting him three tallies away from tying his previous career high. All six of his trainees earned a cheque on the day, including a place finish in addition to his three wins.
Lady Devine delivered a big late-card surprise in the $4,650 featured conditioned pace. Driver David Dowling settled her into the two-hole early behind pacesetter Sauble Attack (Ken Murphy), then angled her out in the stretch, and the mare got up by a head in 1:55.2 for trainer Jennifer Doyle. The winning five-year-old daughter of Heston Blue Chip-Booty Call returned $27.20 to win for owners Doyle of Stratford, P.E.I. and Max Webster Stable of Inverness, N.S. She took her fourth win of the year in 14 attempts.
Applepiemoonshine ($29.10) opened the program with the largest win price of the evening for driver Keith Legge and trainer Luke Burke. The four-year-old mare advanced first-over before prevailing by two lengths in 1:56.2 over Singers Choice (Jaycob Sweet) and Thinkingofeddie (Brady Sweet).
Driver Langille and trainer Earl Watts teamed up for wins with two-year-old colt Stay Dreamy ($15.60), who recovered from an early miscue to win the second race in 1:58.3, and Shadows Inthe Nite ($14.50), who stopped the clock in 2:00 in the eighth.
The Tuesday program produced a total wager of $108,139.
Live racing continues on Thursday at Red Shores Charlottetown with a 6 p.m. opening post time.
To view Thursday's harness racing results, click the following link: Thursday Results - Summerside Raceway.
(Standardbred Canada & Red Shores; photo of Bettim Alive winning on July 21)