Lady Cafe Au Lait flew to a 1:52.4 victory in the $6,000 Fillies and Mares Preferred 1 Handicap Pace at Charlottetown Driving Park on Thursday, July 2, recording her seventh straight score and remaining perfect on Prince Edward Island.
The post-eight handicap was little deterrent to driver Marc Campbell, who had the mare in the middle of the track entering the first turn and rolled her three-wide onto the backstretch to get the lead past a :27.3 first quarter. Lady Cafe Au Lait kept a torrid pace to the half in :55.3 before catching a breather to three-quarters in 1:25.2. Trumps Girl (Adam Merner) launched from the pocket as they came off the final turn but found stiff resistance from Lady Cafe Au Lait, who fired off a :27.2 last quarter to win by a half-length. Redland Misspretty (Paul Langille) finished third.
Lady Cafe Au Lait is five-for-five since moving to the P.E.I. with two victories in the Aged Pacing Mares Series and three Preferred wins. She won her last two starts in Ontario before entering the barn of trainer Earl Watts and is now nine-for-12 this year. The four-year-old Big Jim-Lady Latte mare is owned by Windemere Farms of Springvale, P.E.I. and Matt and David Burke of Stratford, P.E.I. She paid $2.70 in her 16th career win in 49 starts while raising her earnings to $241,152.
Driver Corey MacPherson guided reigning PEISHOA Trotter of the Year Little Louis to the first win of his sophomore campaign in the All Star Cresting Trot Series third leg as part of a five-win day for the reinsman. The E L Rocket-Go With Her gelding had a loose lead throughout the $8,250 division for three-year-old colts and geldings, adding to his cushion as he hit the stations in :30.2, 1:00.1 and 1:29.4. He was 11 lengths clear of Hoponarocket (Gilles Barrieau) at the line and stopped the clock in a career-best 1:58. West River Karuna (Ken MacDonald) finished third.
Little Louis won 10 of his 11 rookie starts, including his Atlantic Breeders Crown, for trainer Kuri White and owner East Coast Captains of Cornwall, P.E.I. He finished second in his seasonal debut last week but returned to the winner’s circle on Thursday, boosting his career record to 11-for-13 and his bankroll to $86,771. He returned the minimum $2.10.
MacPherson also won the opener with Lila Berry ($11.50), the fifth with Ms Moyse ($3.40), the 12th with Sectionline Flame ($2.80) and the 14th-race finale with Sensational Gal ($9.50). The driver is clicking at a 19.8 per cent rate this year with 52 wins in 263 starts. Last year’s top dash winner at Summerside Raceway is second in that track’s standings this term and sits third at Charlottetown.
Hallysgurl maintained her perfect seasonal record and continued her dominance in the All Star Cresting Trot Series with a blowout score in the $8,250 split for three-year-old fillies. She put in steps on the first turn but soon gathered herself and pressed on for Gilles Barrieau to reach the lead before completing the first quarter in :31. She maintained a wide cushion to her four rivals as she set the middle fractions of 1:00.3 and 1:30, and Barrieau did not lift a line down the lane as she strolled to a 1:59.1 score. Roseys El Girl (Ken Murphy) finished 6-3/4 lengths back in second over Oceanview Banjo (MacPherson).
Hallysgurl, trained by Darryl MacLean, has won all four starts at three to bolster her career record to eight-for-11. The daughter of Muscle Mass-Incredible Hally has earned $41,012 for owner-breeders Calvin Larkin of Mermaid, P.E.I. and Erika Bradley of Charlottetown, P.E.I. She returned $2.10 at the windows.
Buckhead Ridge took his first Open Trot win of the meet as he, Flemsteen and Fight Song renewed their rivalry in the $5,500 event. He sprinted out of post two to pocket Flemsteen (Ken Murphy) and cut a :29.2 opening panel, and those two raced with a gap to the rest through :58.3 and 1:28.1 middle fractions. Flemsteen opted for the passing lane, but Buckhead Ridge gave no ground down the stretch to the track-record holder and soared home a 1:55.3 winner by 1-1/4 lengths. West River Jet (Clare MacDonald) was third.
Buckhead Ridge started 2026 with two wins in two starts in January but had been second or third to Flemsteen or Fight Song in his three outings since the summer meet opened. Landon Campbell trains the six-year-old Nuncio-Tuonela gelding, who is now three-for-six this year, for Brady Doyle of Stratford. Buckhead Ridge has won 26 of 68 career starts and earned $163,637. He paid $5.20 to win.
To view Thursday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Thursday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(Standardbred Canada)