Being parked every step of the way on Saturday evening didn’t seem to bother Rose Run Quest one iota, as the gelding dug down deep and smoked the half-mile oval in 1:53.4 en route to capturing the $7,500 Lindsay Construction Exhibition Cup Invitational.
Rose Run Quest, who spent the mile on the rim for driver Gilles Barrieau, watched In Spades brush to the lead and carve out fractions of :27.4 and :57.2. Rose Run Quest took command on the outside at the three-quarter pole in 1:26.4 before storming home in :27 to win by 5-1/4 lengths over race favourite In Spades in 1:53.4. Czar Seelster was third.
Bo Ford trains the six-year-old son of If I Can Dream-Letmedowneasy for Blair Hansen of Charlottetown, PE. The gelding won for the sixth time this season and for the 26th time in his career. He’s banked nearly $12,000 this year and more than $120,000 to date.
A set of $10,060 divisions of the Atlantic Sires Stakes program also went postward on Saturday evening with Sock It Away and String Busters winning their respective assignments.
Sock It Away got away third before brushing to the lead and rolling to a facile win by 4-3/4 lengths over Tobins Lightning in 1:55.3. Rounding out the Trifecta ticket was Flash In The Pang.
Corey MacPherson mapped out the winning trip for the Kevin MacLean trainee who is owned by Reg MacPherson of Stratford, PE. The son of Pang Shui-Someone Like You is now 7-for-7 this season after going 7-for-12 in last year’s rookie campaign. The continuation of the impressive winning streak helped boost his overall bankroll to $63,670.
The other ‘A’ division went to String Busters, who toured the oval in 1:55.3 for driver Kenny Arsenault and trainer/owner Joseph Janega of Port Hawkesbury, NS.
The son of Westwardho Hanover-Boisdale Banshee sat third through the opening half before making a first-over bid on the way to the three-quarter pole. After Half Cut threw down fractions of :27.2, :56.4 and 1:26, String Busters swept to the front in the lane and used his :29.2 closing quarter to win by 1-1/2 lengths over Woodmere Ideal Art. Race favourite Half Cut settled for third prize.
The homebred is now 6-for-7 this season after going 1-for-12 last year. He’s banked more than $21,000 to date.
Dustylanesam was a front-stepping winner in 1:59.2 in the lone $2,500 ‘B’ division for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings.
The son of Ameripan Gigolo-Samara Hanover drew clear to win by 4-1/4 lengths for trainer/driver Austin Sorrie over Easy Flyer, while Buddy Mach wound being fourth-placed-third in the nine-horse affair.
Sent off as the 3-2 favourite, the five-time winner pushed his lifetime earnings to $12,190 for owners Walter Simmons and Tammy Collings.
The second leg of the Atlantic Aged Pacing Mares Series also went postward with two divisions on tap.
Traces Of Purple rallied to a 1:57.2 win for driver Kenny Arsenault in her division, while Sodwana Bay used come-from-behind tactics for teamster Gilles Barrieau to win the second division in 1:56.4.
To view results for Saturday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Saturday Results – Truro Raceway.