The stars were out at Red Shores Summerside on Monday evening as the half-mile oval hosted more eliminations for this year’s Governor’s Plate and for the Lobster Carnival Late Closer.
Fans were treated to a track record-setting performance by Arabica in the first of two $5,000 Governor’s Plate eliminations. The five-year-old son of Pro Bono Best-Chattanooga rallied off cover and drew away from the competition by 5-1/4 lengths in an eye-catching time of 1:54. Joseph Michael was next best, with the overall track record holder, P H Bestman, taking home the show dough.
Arabica’s 1:54 performance erased Outlawpositivcharg’s former track standard of 1:54.2 for older pacing geldings.
Kenny Arsenault mapped out the winning trip for the Anthony Stymest trainee, who improved his 2012 record to 6-0-2 from 10 tries. The 12-time winner, who is owned by Hardy Mill Stable of Stratford, PE, has stashed away more than $72,000 to date.
Mcapulco overcame Post 7 to win his elimination in a sparkling time of 1:53.3 for driver Gilles Barrieau. The unaltered seven-year-old son Mcardle-Smooth Latin N got away fourth before muscling to the lead at the half in :57. He roared by the three-quarter pole in 1:24.2 and used a :29.1 closing panel to propel himself to the win by 8-3/4 lengths over All Turain. Oakmont took home third prize.
Sent off as the even-money favourite, Mcapulco won for the sixth time this season and for the 24th time in his career. The Jackie Matheson pupil, who entered Monday’s elimination fresh off his all-age track record-setting mile of 1:54.2 at Fredericton Raceway on July 2 in the Walter Dale Memorial, is owned by Patrick Morris of Charlottetown, PE. The pacer has banked more than $342,000 in his career.
The card also saw some classy distaffers battling in eliminations for this year’s Lobster Carnival Late Closer, and J K Special got the job done in the $2,250 opening split in 1:55.4. The seven-year-old daughter of Cammibest-J K Beauty watched General Luckypercy hang up a :27.3 opening panel before making a first-over bid. A length separated those two at the half in :57.4, but they were just a neck apart from one another at the three-quarter station in 1:26. J K Special used her :29.4 closing speed to prevail by a quarter of a length over General Luckypercy, with E F Fantasia taking home the show dough.
Walter Cheverie worked out the winning trip for the mare, who is owned and trained by Joey Smallwood of Stratford, PE. She’s won five of her 13 starts this season and the victory pushed her lifetime win total to 30. She recently surpassed $100,000 in career earnings.
Dreaming turned a two-hole trip into a 1:58.2 triumph in the second elimination for the tandem of driver Norman Myers and trainer Michelle MacDonald. The four-year-old daughter of Rocknroll Hanover-Respectednbeloved parked past the quarter pole in :27.4 before Expressly Hanover took charge of the tempo-setting duties. She was on the hook for middle splits of :58.1 and 1:27.3, but after being pressed through those fractions by Kaitlyn Rose she wasn’t able to go the distance. Dreaming found clearance and got up to win by a half-length margin over Private Joke, with Expressly Hanover a lapped-on third.
Norman Myers of Cardigan shares ownership on the five-time winner with Jason Shepard of Vernon Bridge, PE. Together they watched the mare bump her lifetime earnings to $46,293 with the win.
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Red Shores Summerside.