Governor’s Plate action was the order of the day on Sunday (July 7) at Red Shores’ Summerside Raceway, as the program featured two eliminations for males and a pair of elims for the females.
The first of the $5,000 eliminations for the males took to the track for Race 11, and it was the Greg Weatherbee-trained and Kenny Arsenault-driven Czar Seelster ($13.30) that came from off the pace to record a one-length victory in a sharp 1:54.3. The 10-year-old son of Stonebridge Regal had gotten away mid pack from Post 5 and bided his time through the :27.1 opening quarter. Arsenault moved his mount into the second-over position in the second panel and tipped him three-high off of the :56.1 opening half. Czar Seelster was overland and in the lead as he clicked off three quarters in 1:25.1. The bay horse kept on truckin’ through the final frame, as Czar Seelster came home in :29.3 to hit the wire first. The Post 1 starter, Down On My Luck, who was driven by Jason Hughes, had cut the opening half and continued to battle for the engine at the three quarters, but he had to settle for second when all was said and done. The David Dowling-driven Euchred, who had to deal with a Post 8 start, had battled hard from the backfield through the final three-quarters of the elim, but ultimately finished third. Burn Out Hanover finished fourth. Czar Seelster, who is owned by Tammy Johnston (of Stratford, PE), has now won 34 of his 172 career starts and has banked $212,680 in purses.
The second of the elims for the males went postward as Race 12, and it was the Marc Campbell-trained and driven Rose Run Quest ($3.60) that recorded a gate-to-wire win in 1:54.1 for owner Blair Hansen (Charlottetown, PE). The seven-year-old If I Can Dream gelding left alertly from Post 2 and sliced all the fractions (:27.4, :57.1, 1:26.2) before holding on in the lane for a game win. Pilot Jason Hughes and Do Over Hanover took a two-hole trip after a Post 6 start and finished second in the tilt. Myles Heffernan and his mount, Bugsy Maguire, raced overland from the backfield through the middle splits, but didn’t have enough left in the lane and had to settle for third. Screen Test finished fourth. Rose Run Quest has now won 36 of his 113 career starts and has banked $167,656.
After having started from Post 1 in Race 6, the Jackie Matheson-trained and Gilles Barrieau-driven Collective Wisdom ($2.60) captured the first of the $3,000 Governor’s Plate eliminations for open fillies and mares. Barrieau put the six-year-old daughter of American Ideal on the point early. She went on to cut all the fractions (:29.1, :59.1, 1:28) and fired home in :28.4 to be first under the wire in 1:56.4 for owner Woodmere Farms (Marshfield, PE). The Jason Hughes-driven Post 3 starter Rocknrols Image, who had taken a two-hole ride through the mile, challenged in the lane, but just ran out of real estate late and had to settle for second. The Steve Shepherd-driven West River Ambyr finished third. Woodmere Chella finished fourth. Collective Wisdom’s win was the 17th victory of her 92-race career. She has now banked $89,761 in career purses.
The second of the Governor’s Plate elims for the distaffers took place in Race 9, and it was the Allan Jones-trained and Todd Trites-driven Ramblinglily ($44.10) who shocked the crowd at odds of 21-1 when she scooted under the wire first in 1:56.1. The nine-year-old daughter of Articulator crossed over early from Post 4 and went on to cut all the fractions (:28, :58.3, 1:27.4). She was able to hold off the heavy 1-9 favourite, Sodwana Bay, who raced second-over for pilot Gilles Barrieau before finishing second. Drivingthedragon N, who was in rein to Jason Hughes, took a pocket ride through the fractions and finished third. Bettim Vicky finished fourth. Allan Jones (Riverview, NB) and Normand Leger (Shediac, NB) hold the ownership papers on Ramblinglily, who recorded her 68th career win with the gritty mile.
Driver David Dowling won four of the 12 races on Sunday, including the first three dashes that the program had to offer.
To view the harness racing results for Sunday at Summerside, click the following link: Sunday Results – Summerside Raceway.