Governor’s Plate winner P H Bestman and Todd Trites added the $7,500 Exhibition Cup Invitational to their resume winning in 1:53.4 during Saturday night’s program at Truro Raceway, which also featured Atlantic Sires Stakes for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings
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Proven Lover and Gary Chappell led the field for the 2010 Exhibition Cup, which was reduced to seven due to the scratched of Carnivore, past fractions of :27.1, :56 and 1:24.4. P H Bestman followed along in fifth past the half-mile marker before launching his first over attack. The five-year-old son of Cambest-Art Blanche moved into third past the third quarter and kicked home in :28.3 to prevail by a quarter-length over Proven Lover in 1:53.4. P H Tornado (Gillies Barrieau) finished a half-length behind in third. Favourite Outlawpositivcharg (Terry Gallant) finished back in fourth off a two-hole trip.
P H Bestman paid $9.50 to win as the 7-2 third choice. Dr. Trevin Shive trains the winner of seven races in 21 starts this year and $57,174 for Dr. James Shive of Shubenacadie, NS. The victory was number 25 for the five-year-old, who has earned $211,857 over the course of his career.
Atlantic Sires Stakes three-year-old pacing colts and geldings faced off in three $7,220 'A' divisions earlier on the card with Dr Alexander, Allbentouttashape and Island Redemption turning in top efforts.
Dr Alexander B followed Rugged Coast (Darren Crowe) through fractions of :29.2, :59.2 and 1:28 in the first split. Favourite Mr Salming (Gillies Barrieau) advanced first up during the middle panels and pushed ahead in the stretch, but could not hold off a quick-closing Dr Alexander B, who got his nose to the wire first in a career-best 1:57 flat. Rugged Coast held for third, finishing just three-quarters of a length behind.
Dr Alexander B returned $10.90 to win as the 9-2 second choice. The homebred son of Western Success-Heshe Gal, who won for the second time in 13 seasonal starts, is trained and owned by Paul Doyle of Charlottetown, PE. His sixth career win helped boost his earnings to $10,689 this year and $39,159 lifetime.
Heavy favourite Allbentouttashape, who suffered his only loss this season two weeks ago in ATSS action with a close second-place effort, left from Post 3 with trainer-driver Sean Dooley and carved out fractions of :29.4, 1:00.4 and 1:28.4 en route to a 1:57.3 score by three and three-quarter lengths. T M Top Gun (Darren Crowe) advanced first up to place while the pocket-sitter, Grayland Spider (Danny Romo), finished third.
Allbentouttashape paid $2.20 to win for the sixth time in seven starts this year. The son of Quick Comeback-C A Lady has banked $31,282 for the Dooley Boys Racing Stable of Halifax, NS. The winner of $108,239 lifetime now sports a record reading 19-4-0 in 23 starts.
Island Redemption converted from the pocket to win the final split in 1:57.4 by a half length for trainer-driver Gilles Barrieau and co-owners Alfred Barrieau of Dieppe and Michael Clinton of Saint John, NB. Idbegoodatthat (Ryan Ellis), who set the pace with fractions of :28.1, :58.1 and 1:27.4, finished second and Putnams Force (Ernest Laffin) finished third.
Island Redemption paid $2.70 to win his fourth consecutive ATSS event as the popular choice in the field. The son of Sea Gull Hershey-Luscious Character has won eight of his 10 starts and $19,667 this year. His 11th win lifetime helped push his earnings over the $50,000 mark.
Little Quick (2:02) and Grayland Hill (2:00) also won their respective $2,500 'B' divisions.
In regular racing action, Moblessinsdinblues turned in the fastest trotting mile at Truro Raceway with his wire-to-wire romp in the second race for driver Ernest Laffin and trainer Blair Laffin. The six-year-old gelded son of Royal Strength-Domonique Nelson, who is owned by Truro's Charles Rennison, was a 12 length winner in 1:59.1. It was his first win in two starts this year and ninth overall.
To view Saturday's results, click here.