YS Lotus took on harness racing's richest horse, Foiled Again, through a blazing opening quarter and went on to win the first of two $12,500 Sobeys Gold Cup & Saucer trials on Saturday, August 13 at Red Shores at Charlottetown Driving Park.
YS Lotus was driven by Louis-Philippe Roy for trainer Rene Allard, who won the 2014 Gold Cup & Saucer with Bigtown Hero. The five-year-old If I Can Dream-Bolero Takara gelding is owned by Yves Sarrazin of La Presentation, Que.
The Ron Burke-trained Foiled Again was the talk of the toteboard at odds of 1-2 with the inside post position, but YS Lotus fired out from post two and battled past the $7.4 million earner through a :26.2 first quarter. Once he cleared, YS Lotus was untouchable as he rolled to the half-mile mark in :53.1 and three-quarters in 1:21.2 while expanding his lead to six lengths and then cruised home to stop the clock in 1:51.1. YS Lotus' stablemate Shades Of Bay, driven by Brad Forward, tipped out from fifth at the half and advanced to finish second. Local contender D Gs Camme and Gilles Barrieau closed inside for third-place over Foiled Again and Marc Campbell.
"He's starting to feel at home here [on P.E.I.]," said Allard of the Governor's Plate champion YS Lotus. "He's been feeling really good and I have to give a lot of credit to Jordan MacKay -- he takes great care of the horse and did a great job with him."
The second Gold Cup & Saucer trial will be contest on Monday, August 15, with the top-four finishers from both eliminations advancing to the 57th edition of Prince Edward Island’s signature race next Saturday, August 20. The post draw will be held on Tuesday, August 16.
The field for the second trial, in post position order, includes: Limelight Beach, Alexas Jackpot, Mr Massimo, Go Daddy Go, Paparazzi Hanover, and Dialamara.
In other Saturday night racing action, Freddie powered to his fourth win in a row in the weekly $1,950 Open Trot, stopping the clock in 1:58.3 for trainer/driver Marc Campbell and the Three Wisemen Stable of Cornwall, P.E.I.
Ramblinglily also earned her fourth straight win in the $2,350 Mares Open Handicap Pace as she was fanned three-wide entering the stretch by Walter Cheverie and nailed the victory at the wire in 1:55 flat for trainer Allan Jones and co-owner Normand Leger of Shediac, N.B.
In the $2,650 Preferred Pace, Quebec fair circuit invader D J Power pulled the pocket coming off the final turn and wore down pacesetter Forever Paradise to keep his own win streak alive. Owned and trained by Jean Marc Roy of Mont-Joli, Que., D J Power took a new lifetime mark of 1:55 flat while notching his sixth straight victory with Pierre-Luc Roy in the sulky.
Red Shores hosted a double-header on Saturday, with the afternoon card featuring the fourth leg of the Atlantic Sires Stakes for three-year-old pacing fillies.
All About Madi continued her divisional dominance as she converted off a pocket trip in the afternoon's first $10,060 "A" division and reeled in Proven To Be Bad, who tried to runaway from the field by building up a 10-length lead by the half-mile mark. However, All About Madi prevailed by half a length in 1:56.4, earning her ninth straight victory. Imacaroltoo finished one and a half lengths behind in third.
Walter Cheverie drove the locally-owned All About Madi, who is now four-for-four in the Atlantic Sires Stakes and boasts 11 wins from 16 starts during her debut season. Trainer Leith Waite shares ownership of the Brandons Cowboy-Jk Casablanca filly with Leslie Waite and Spencer Waite.
West River Ambyr and Howmacscanasta, both top-three point earners in the Atlantic Sires Stakes this season, also earned victories during Saturday's leg.
West River Ambyr rebuffed a first-over challenge by Glory Jean en route to a one and a quarter length victory in 1:57.1. Howmacfiesty followed in second and Scarlet Safari came on for third. The homebred Brandons Cowboy-West River Rosie filly now has four consecutive wins, including three Sires Stakes wins for Antigonish, N.S. trainer/driver/owner Clare MacDonald and her daughter Haley.
Howmacscanasta, trained and driven by Gilles Barrieau, advanced from fourth at the half to take the lead in her division and then drew off by five lengths for a 1:57.3 victory. Dustlanemissmolly finished second while Victory Cry inherited third when Paradise Paradox was placed sixth for causing interference to another filly during the race. Howmacscanasta earned her second Sires Stakes victory this year for owners Wayne MacRae of Fall River, N.S., Robert Tilley and Lester Mott of Saint John, N.B.
Jason Hughes swept the $2,500 "B" divisions with his own trainee Lyndale Magic (1:59.1) and the Blaine McKenna stable's Nobodys Gigolo (1:59.2).
The sophomore pacing fillies meet again in the fifth leg of the Atlantic Sires Stakes on August 27 at Northside Downs.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.