East Coast perfection continued for Miki Shan N as the stallion tied the all-time track record in the second $15,000 Gold Cup and Saucer Trial while winning his sixth straight race on Saturday, Aug. 9 at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
Poseidon Seelster (James MacDonald) went to the lead after an early :26.2 tussle to the quarter, then paced fractions of :54.1 and 1:23 before Miki Shan N (Corey MacPherson) came with authority to take over entering the final turn and kicked clear to win by three lengths. Poseidon Seelster was second with Arbitrage Hanover (Billy Davis Jr.) third and Fortify (Marc Campbell) fourth; they will all advance to next Saturday’s $100,000 Gold Cup and Saucer Final, presented by Atlantic Lottery
"(Miki Shan N) is amazing. I don't think we've found the bottom of him yet," MacPherson said in his post-race interview. "I thought I kicked the plugs but obviously I didn't, looking at them now. He just kicks into gear as soon as you move him, and he's a sweetheart."
The 1:50.1 mile tied Miki Shan N with Sintra, YS Lotus, and Bee Two Bee as the fastest pacers ever on the Eastern Seaboard.
"I actually really can't believe it. It's surreal," MacPherson said on equalling the track record.
The New Zealand-bred Miki Shan N ($4) is undefeated since moving to the Maritimes for trainer Chris MacKay and owners Kap Singh Racing Stable of Yorktown Heights, N.Y., Stephen Klunowski of North York, Ont., Earl Hill Jr. of Ohsweken, Ont., and Donald MacRae of Vernon Bridge, P.E.I. The six-year-old son of Always B Miki-Yankee Dream is now nine-for-17 this year. Driver Corey MacPherson recorded his first ever Gold Cup and Saucer Trial victory.
In the first Gold Cup and Saucer Trial, Its Major Major A ($2.10) lived up to his heavy billing with a decisive 1:50.3 score for driver James MacDonald and trainer Rene Bourassa. Rail-sitter Malignity (Paul Langille) stacked up the favourites through the first turn in the $15,000 Trial before releasing Virgo (Davis) to the lead at the quarter in :27. Its Major Major A was cruising on the outside, then accelerated to the front to overtake Virgo before the second turn. He then strolled through splits of :55 and 1:23 and sailed home to win by 5-1/4 lengths over Virgo, followed by Legion Seelster (Jody Jamieson) and Bee Two Bee (Jason Hughes), who all advance to the final.
"I was a little surprised when I heard Vance (Cameron, track announcer) in the last turn say 1:23," MacDonald said in his broadcast interview. "I snapped the wheel disc, and he jumped out of his skin, and I really thought he was going 49-and-change."
Its Major Major A, a son of Art Major-Garden Gate Tina, is owned by Daniel Gaudreault of Mont-Joli, Que., and Dr. John Bradbury of Cookshire-Eaton, Que. The seven-year-old gelding has won five of his 17 appearances this year.
"He's just a really fast horse and a pleasure to drive," MacDonald said. "It's always great to be back here on Old Home Week and doing good in front of this great crowd."
While Miki Shan N tied the standard for pacers, Buckhead Ridge ($2.40) rewrote the overall trotting track record with a 1:55.2 win for driver Marc Campbell in the $7,500 Old Home Week Invitational Trot. Sent off at 1-5, Buckhead Ridge swept to the front in a :28.2 first quarter, rattled off fractions of :57.1 and 1:26.4, and sprinted to the wire to stop the clock in 1:55.2 with a four-length margin over second-placed Rocket Blast (MacPherson). Fight Song, who lowered the standard to 1:55.3 less than a month ago, watched his record fall as he finished third.
Buckhead Ridge has been a formidable force among the Island's trotting geldings this season with 10 wins in 14 starts. The five-year-old son of Nuncio-Tuonela is trained by Landon Campbell for owner Brady Doyle of Stratford, P.E.I.
Three-year-old pacing fillies clashed in five Atlantic Sires Stakes divisions on the program. In the first $17,100 A division, Badgirl Bridgette ($2.10) won her sixth straight race with a career-best 1:54.2 mile for owner-trainer Bill Lanigan and driver Jason Hughes. The daughter of Stonebridge Terror-Whatabadgirl is now six-for-seven this year and unbeaten in four Atlantic Sires Stakes starts. Tobins Dream ($13.70) sprung the mild surprise in 1:54.3 in her $17,100 A split for trainer Kevin MacLean, owner Reginald MacPherson, and driver Barrieau. The win was the first this year in 13 tries for the Stonebridge Terror-Putnam Mackenzie filly.
The first two $6,000 B divisions went to Mindbodyandsoul ($7.60) in 1:55.1 and Thelastartie ($4.50) in 1:57.2 with Marc Campbell driving both for trainer Earl Watts, while Mia ($3.40) captured the other division for trainer-driver Adam Merner in 1:57.3.
There were also two $7,500 Birthplace of Confederation Mares Series eliminations, in honour of Harris Johnston, on the card. Avyanna ($2.10) took the first elimination in Race 12 in 1:52.3 for trainer Bo Ford, driver Gilles Barrieau, and co-owners Hailee Currie and Carol Campbell. Rosetown Mary (MacPherson) finished second, followed by Tobins Brownie. Windemere Saddy ($7.50) pulled off a mild upset in the 15th-race second elimination for trainer Saul Lanigan, driver Jody Jamieson, and owners Lanigan, Shane Esson, Darcy Doyle, and Isaac Schurman. She scored in 1:54.3 with Plain Jane (MacPherson) second and Sugar Bowl (Barrieau) third.
Avatar J ($5.50) captured the Race 11 $5,000 Claddagh Oyster House & Old Dublin Pub Pace in 1:52.3 for driver Jason Hughes and trainer Darren Smith, who co-owns him with Jody Sanderson.
In Race 1, the Bill and Ruth Gurney Memorial, Freight Air ($3.20) stopped the clock in 1:55.3 for driver Jamieson, trainer Neil Bambrick, and owner Alex MacPhee.
Impeccable Shadow ($7.10) won the Race 3 Tops To Floors Pace in 1:53 for trainer-driver Langille and owners Dale & Ronnie Rennie Inc. and Melissa Rennie, and Rockemsockem Scott ($5.70) took the the Allan ‘Kitten’ Livingston and Ian ‘Cat’ Smith Memorial in Race 5 for driver Barrieau, trainer Ron Matheson, and owner John Kennedy.
The Race 9 Mayor’s Pace was a 1:53.4 victory for Nothing Bugs Me ($3) with Barrieau driving for conditioner Vaughan Doyle and owner Chris Kelly.
One Wicked Man ($3.10) scored in the Race 14 Burgoyne – Taylor Memorial Pace with a 1:53.4 win for trainer-driver Kenny Arsenault and owner James Perrot.
The wager on the program was $247,911.54.
Old Home Week racing continues on Monday evening at 6 p.m. at the capital oval, with programs every day throughout the week culminating in the $100,000 Gold Cup and Saucer Final next Saturday. Full race programs, picks, and the Race Day broadcast are available at Redshores.ca.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(With files from Red Shores)