Truro Raceway track record holder Formal Affair opened up an insurmountable double-digit lead in the final quarter of a mile to demolish his foes in the $7,500 Exhibition Cup Invitational Pace on Saturday night at the half-mile oval, which also hosted Atlantic Sires Stakes for sophomore pacers
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With Mark Bradley between the wheels, Formal Affair advanced to the lead from fourth after the :27.3 opening quarter and carved out middle splits of :56.3 and 1:26.2 before sprinting away from the field to score by 11 lengths in 1:55.1 over the track rated two seconds slow. Outlawpositivcharg (Terry Gallant) rallied three-wide from the backfield to beat out As Tuff As Nails (Mark Whebby) for second while even-money favourite Serious Damage (Kenny Arsenault), fresh off a pair of victories in the Governor’s Plate and J.A. Ferguson Memorial Pace, finished fourth.
The six-year-old gelded son of Real Desire-Little Black Dress is trained by David Rose for Ronnie and Dale Rennie of Elmsdale, P.E.I. The win was his second in four seasonal starts and 15th lifetime, pushing his career earnings over the $100,000 mark.
Formal Affair paid $9.60 to win as the second choice.
Maritime Breeders champion Putnams Art returned to his winning ways in the first of three $6,980 Atlantic Sires Stakes 'A' divisions for three-year-old pacing colts after hitting the board in his last three stakes events.
The son of Southwind Balsam-Raisin Ruckus front-stepped his way to a 2:00.2 victory by three and a half lengths over Skipjack (Marc Campbell). Aarons Ambition (Mark Bradley) was third.
Trained and driven by Bernard McCallum, Putnams Art has put together a record reading 6-5-2 in 19 starts while banking nearly $40,000 in his debut season for owner Wesley Patriquin of Debert, N.S.
Woodmere Sandman and driver Stephen Trites went gate-to-wire to win the next division in 2:00.3 for trainer Sheldon Watts and New Brunswick owners Susan Seymour, Beverley Trites and John Osborne.
The Western Success-Sanfrangelica gelding was challenged by Howdidchado (Terry Gallant), who nearly got to him as they neared three-quarters before making a break and finishing fourth. Pocket-sitter Windemere Express (Marc Campbell) finished three-quarters of a length behind the winner in second with favourite Maritime (Gilles Barrieau) third.
The winner of three races this year has yet to finish off the board in five seasonal starts. His sixth career win in 15 starts helped lift his earnings to nearly $18,000.
Fresh off a win in the Nova Scotia Series Stakes last weekend at Truro, Pictonians Souwest and driver Mike Steveson came on to score a one and a half length victory over pacesetter and favourite Putnams Power (Danny Romo) in the final ‘A’ division. The son of Western Paradise-Southview Sasha prevailed in 1:58.3 for trainer Wayne Bell and owner Daniel Ross of Belfast, P.E.I. Pocket-sitter Tiger Williams (Earl Smith) finished third.
Pictonians Souwest has won half of his eight seasonal starts and is 11-for-19 in his career with almost $54,000 banked.
Driver Gilles Barrieau won both $2,500 ‘B’ divisions with the James Collins-trained Riverdale Jack in 2:00.4 and Stoveonfire for trainer and co-owner Leith Waite in 2:01.2.
In regular racing action, Putnams Force picked up his second straight victory in the Winners Over Pace, carrying a purse of $1,800. Darren Crowe and the four-year-old son of Force Of Life-Tooles Gold took over command after being parked past the half and paced to victory in 1:57.1 by almost five lengths for local owner-trainer Ross Toole.
For results from Saturday's harness racing card, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Truro Raceway.