Two-year-old pacing colts and geldings were the stars of the show Thursday evening at Summerside Raceway as they battled in a pair of $12,880 ‘A’ divisions of the Atlantic Sires Stakes.
Steel Reefer got away slowly but finished with a bang to take home top honours in the opening division in a time of 1:57.2 for trainer/driver Gilles Barrieau.
The son of Steelhead Hanover-Casa Dulce got away sixth while Dollars And Spence shot to the top and sliced out fractions of :28.1, :57.4 and 1:28. Steel Reefer moved up third-over on the way to the half, and he made a three-wide bid for Barrieau on the way to the three-quarter pole. Steel Reefer then used a :28.4 closing quarter to win by a neck over Mr Rielly in 1:57.2. Dollars And Spence and Moneyorroses dead-heated for third.
Sent off as the 7-5 favourite, Steel Reefer won at first asking for partners Wayne MacRae, Robert Tilley and Gary Mott. The pacer was a $15,500 purchase from last year’s Atlantic Classic Yearling Sale.
Woodmere Stealdeal powered to the lead in the second division for driver Marc Campbell, and once the gelding brushed to the front it was game over for the others.
The Danny Romo trainee battled with Woodmere Alvin to the quarter pole in :29.2 before muscling to the lead. Woodmere Stealdeal then sliced out middle fractions of :58.3 and 1:28.4 before using a :28.2 kicker to win by eight lengths over Woodmere Alvin in 1:57.1. Bettim Again rounded out the Trifecta ticket.
Sent off as the even-money favourite, the son of Steelhead Hanover-Very Ideal won at first asking for Nova Scotia partners Kevin Dorey and Robert Sumarah. The gelding was a $22,500 purchase from last year’s Atlantic Classic Yearling Sale.
Silver Jake (2:00.3) and Class Hero (2:04) won their respective $2,500 ‘B’ divisions.
In a rarity in Island racing a pair of siblings born outside the region both won races on the same card. Shes In The Moment, by Control The Moment, had a maiden-breaking win in Race 1 in 1:58.3 for trainer-driver Campbell then her half-brother Cowboy Logic, by Western Ideal, cruised the oval in an open-length score in 1:56.3 for driver Steven Shepherd and trainer Harold Shepherd in the fifth race. Both horses are out of the Art Major mare Sara Sue.
To view results for Thursday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Thursday Results – Summerside Raceway.
(with files from Red Shores)