A pair of $25,670 divisions of the Frank and Beth Stanfield Memorial helped highlight Truro Raceway’s Sunday, July 23 program of live racing.
The memorial stakes event was for three-year-old pacing fillies that were foaled in the Atlantic Provinces. The connections of 15 fillies entered their charges to contest the Stanford Memorial, which saw the divisions carded as Races 5 and 8 on the eight-dash docket.
The first division saw the Robert Phillips-trained and Gillies Barrieau-driven Traces Of Purple ($4.60) shrug off an overland trip before getting up for a three-quarters of one length win in 1:58.2.
Traces Of Purple, a bay daughter of Brandons Cowboy, started from Post 6 and was overland at each call. The fractions in the dash were sliced in :28.4, :58.2 and 1:28. Traces Of Purple was racing two-wide in fifth at the quarter, and had caught up to her cover by the time the field paced by the half. She was right up and challenging the leaders as the field passed three quarters, and had more in the tank as she and her foes charged home.
Traces Of Purple, who was sent off as the public’s choice, out-sprinted her rivals in the final quarter and posted a lucrative win for owners, breeder Kevin Harvey (of Hammonds Plains, NS) and trainer Robert Phillips (South Pinette, PE).
Winrlosedrnkdaboze, who was handled by invading driver Rick Zeron, put forth a strong bid late. She came home with the fastest closing quarter of the bunch (:29.3) and fired for the wire from the back of the pack. She just missed and finished less than one length in arrears of the victress. Elm Grove Ladyluck, who was driven by her trainer, Mark Campbell, had raced on the point through the fractions and hung on for third, beaten by three and one quarter lengths.
The second of the divisions was won by the Mark Campbell-trained and Ryan Ellis-driven Elektra Express ($3.60), who fought hard and prevailed going away with a three-length win that was clocked in 1:56.
The brown Western Paradise filly started from Post 2 for owner Danica Ellis (Brookfield, NS) and took the cautious approach early. She allowed horses to cross over in front of her, as she sat fourth through the :28.2 opening quarter. Filly Forty Seven and driver Mark Campbell were on the point and they led the charge down to the half-mile marker. Elektra Express had moved first-over in the second panel and was overland in third when the half flashed to life in :57.1.
Elektra Express continued to advance in the third quarter of the dash and paced up alongside Filly Forty Seven, as the latter clicked off three quarters in 1:26.3. The nose-to-nose battle continued into the final quarter of the race, as the pair was almost inseparable at the head of the lane. Although, after having gone a taxing trip on the engine, Filly Forty Seven succumbed to the pressure in the lane, as she faded late and had to concede the affair to the Truro Raceway track record holder. Glenview Paisley (Ernie Laffin) finished third, six lengths in arrears of Elektra Express.
The eight-dash program also featured the ‘Truro vs. Ontario – Best of the Best Team Showdown.’ Ontario-based drivers Carl Jamieson, Paul MacDonell, Mike Saftic and Rick Zeron – aka ‘Team Ontario – battled it out against ‘Team Truro,’ which consisted of Dave Carey, Clare MacDonald, ‘Pooker’ McCallum and Danny Romo.
Team Truro won the showdown by a score of 74-70. Click here for more.
To view the harness racing results for Sunday at Truro, click the following link: Sunday Results – Truro Raceway.