Sock It Away circled to the lead approaching the half and kept control through the wire as the 1-5 favourite to win the second $12,800 Atlantic Sires Stakes (ATSS) A division of two in 1:54 at Charlottetown Driving Park on the Monday, Aug. 13 program which also featured three $2,500 B divisions of the ATSS.
The Kevin MacLean trainee yielded the lead to Woodmere Ideal Art following a :26.4 opening quarter. He then angled off the rail and brushed to the lead before passing the half in :56. The gelding by Pang Shui held a two-length lead by three-quarters in 1:25.3 and maintained that margin through the stretch while Woodmere Ideal Art chased in second and Tobins Lightning finished five lengths back in third.
Owned by Reginald Mac Pherson, Sock It Away, from the I Am A Fool mare Someone Like You, won his 16th race in 21 starts overall, earning $77,272. Marc Campbell drove the $2.50 winner.
Flash In The Pang sat the pocket amid chaos behind and around him to win by seven-and-a-half lengths in the first ATSS A division in 1:55.4.
Tangled Mind left for the lead from the center with Flash In The Pang firing towards the inside. Flash In The Pang emerged in front around the first turn after Tangled Mind stumbled and went on a gallop, being pulled up into the backstretch. Half Cut, parked to the quarter, moved for the lead through a :28.1 opening quarter while Howmac Diamond lost stride from fourth.
Half Cut took control moving to the half, timed in :56.1, and maintained control by three-quarters in 1:26.1. Flash In The Pang pulled pocket moving around the final turn as Half Cut chased to the inside turning into the stretch. The Patrick Murphy trainee accelerated clear of his competiton as Rockin Party swerved in and out to split horses for second and Howmac Diamond, recovering from his break, stormed through the stretch to take third. However, following an inquiry, Rockin Party was disqualified to sixth, placing Howmac Diamond second and Dustylanesam third.
By Pang Shui out of the N Xample mare N Xample Deal, Flash In The Pang, owned by G. Hughie Murphy, won his third race in 10 starts this season and in 22 overall, earning $19,405. David Dowling drove the $10.40 winner.
Red Dirt Rebel went coast to coast in an abbreviated field as the 2-5 favourite in the first ATSS B division in 1:58.2. The son of Camshaft Hanover inherited the lead from the rail and led unchallenged through fractions of :30.1, 1:00.1 and 1:29.4 before widening his lead to three lengths at the wire. Silverhill Spike, sitting the pocket, chased in second with W C Little Willie finishing last of the three.
Owned by Windemere Farms, Rene Allard, F. Ian Smith and Clive Balderston, Red Dirt Rebel, out of the Precious Bunny mare Hare Trap, won his second race in 10 starts this season and his fourth in 23 overall, earning $18,693. David Dowling sat behind the $2.60 winner for trainer Earl Watts.
Driver Louis-Philippe Roy sent Easy Flyer to the top and soared to a seven-and-a-quarter length victory in the second ATSS B division, winning as the 3-5 favourite in 1:56.4.
Leading by the quarter in :29.1, Easy Flyer on the engine facing no pressure through a :58.2 half and 1:27.4 third-quarter. The gelding by Pang Shui held a four-length lead over first-over Prom King into the stretch and extended that gap to the wire. L Weather B, from second over, recovered from a break in the stretch to take second from Prom King holding third.
Returning $3.30 to win, Easy Flyer, out of the Western Paradise mare Pictonian Flyer, won his second race in 11 starts this season and his second in 21 overall, earning $7,363. Blaine McKenna trains for owners James Halen Jr., J. Susanne Mac Keigan and Nathaniel Thompson.
Roy and McKenna teamed up again to win the final ATSS B division with 6-5 favourite Hunter Pangs, edging pacesetter J K Express in 1:56.3.
Hunter Pangs stalked from the pocket while J K Express posted fractions of :28.3, :57.2 and 1:26.4 on the lead. He held a two-length lead turning into the stretch with Hunger Pangs his closest threat. The colt by Pang Shui angled out of the pocket and gradually dug into J K Express' lead, sticking a head in front at the line to win. Easy Dc Does It, from second over, rallied from off cover to finish a half-length back in third.
Owned by J Susanne Mac Keigan, Hunger Pangs, from the N Xample mare R Es Miss Jen, won his fourth race in 13 starts this season and in 23 overall, earning $6,125. He paid $4.30 to win.
To view Monday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Monday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.