Anthony Beaton trainee Ideal Perception posted every fraction to take the faster of the two $12,500 Gold Cup & Saucer Trials contested at Charlottetown Driving Park on Saturday (Aug. 14).
Driver Gilles Barrieau bolted the four-year-old American Ideal stallion to the point while Racemup secured the pocket moving to a :27.1 first quarter. He continued on the front uncontested to a :55 half and faced pressure up the backstretch when 1-2 favourite Rock Lights pulled first over moving to three-quarters in 1:23.1. Rock Lights made steady gains on Ideal Perception moving around the final turn, but Barrieau’s charge repelled the favourite’s challenge to win in 1:51.1. Racemup held third.
“Anthony called me up and told me he was coming down with one,” Barrieau said after the race. “He said that he’s made for a half mile, so he thought he’d fit in here pretty good Gold Cup week. And here he is. He’s a sweet horse to drive. He gets around the turns real nice. He’s all horse.”
Owned by S S G Stables, Ideal Perception has won three races from 13 starts this season and nine from 44 overall, earning $163,057. He paid $6.80 to win.
Maritime sensation Time To Dance rebounded from a runner-up finish in the first Gold Cup & Saucer Trial to win in 1:52.3.
Trainer-driver Marc Campbell fired Time To Dance to the top entering the first turn while Evenwood Sonofagun ground uncovered towards the front moving past a :27 first quarter. Evenwood Sonofagun cleared command entering the second turn and faced little challenge through a :55.2 half and to three-quarters in 1:25.1. But as the field circled the final turn, Campbell ranged Time To Dance from the pocket and surged towards the lead coming for the straightaway. The five-year-old A Rocknroll Dance gelding edged away while chased home by Day Delight to win, with Evenwood Sonofagun settling for third.
“Last week he raced an overnight [and] finished a bang-up second,” Marc Campbell said after the race. “He had near three weeks off, so we were pretty happy with him coming into tonight. We drew a good post – I thought it was a pretty good division. Exploded off the gate tonight, which was really nice. I had that decision to make, and it’s all about getting into the final tonight. I think it was actually a good trip to cover him up, then he bounced off cover and exploded home again. It was a good trip for him. He lets me do what we want to do with him… that’s why he’s a good horse. It’s been a hot week; a rough week on him – we actually had to move barns this week, so I was a little worried but they all raced really well tonight.”
Owned by Brent Campbell and Matthew McDonald, Time To Dance won his sixth race from nine starts this season and his 25th from 62 overall, earning $150,710. He paid $3.80 to win.
Track records were the theme of the day as Batterup Hanover became the fastest three-year-old pacing colt in the history of Island and Atlantic Canadian harness racing with his 1:51.4 victory in line to trainer Paul Langille in Race 2 of the day.
Dreamfair Zenfire set a new track record in her $3,500 Birthplace Of Confederation series elimination for aged pacing mares with a 1:52.3 score for trainer-driver Campbell, abolishing Ladylike's former 1:53.2 record.
Filly Forty Seven won the other Birthplace Of Confederation elimination in 1:55.
Campbell had three wins on the evening from his own barn as he also won with Eagle Jolt in 1:55.1 for the 14-year-old pacer's 70th win.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(with files from Red Shores)