Buckhead Ridge secured control early and parried Fight Song in the stretch to capture the $5,500 Open Trot on Thursday, Aug. 13 at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
Buckhead Ridge looped rail starter Camco Laraido (Ken Murphy) for the lead on the first turn, while Fight Song (Jason Hughes) motored forward to drop in behind him and inhabit the pocket. The leader carved out the panels of :28.3, :58.1 and 1:27.4 and held off Fight Song by a measured three-quarter-length margin in 1:56.1. West River Jet (Kenny Arsenault) finished third.
The winning son of Nuncio-Tuonela secured his sixth win this season in 11 outings for trainer Landon Campbell and owner Brady Doyle of Stratford, P.E.I. Buckhead Ridge is 29-for-73 lifetime with $177,637 in earnings. The win price was $2.90.
Miss Dutton delivered the biggest surprise of the evening. Marc Campbell settled Miss Dutton ($40.90) sixth in the $4,750 featured pace before advancing second-over and prevailing in a photo finish in 1:56.2. Sweet Molly was a nose back in second for driver David Dowling, with More Than A Woman and Keith Legge another half-length away in third. Chris MacKay trains Miss Dutton for owner Shoulda Been Onabeach Stable of Charlottetown, P.E.I. Race favourite Fitness First (Corey MacPherson) made a break at the top of the stretch and finished sixth.
Campbell recorded three victories on the 13-dash program, also guiding Thelastartie ($3.40) to a 1:57.2 score for trainer Earl Watts and owner-breeder Windemere Farms of Springvale, P.E.I.
Bubble Lou ($6) was a front-end winner in 1:55.4 for driver David Dowling and trainer Jennifer Doyle in the eighth-race $4,250 conditioned pace for fillies and mares. Max Webster Stable of Inverness, N.S., and Doyle of Stratford, P.E.I. share ownership. The same driver-trainer combination returned to the winner’s circle with Shoot The Whiskey ($2.50), who dictated every fraction in a 1:57.1 victory for owners Max Webster Stable and Jeff Skinner of Hammonds Plains, N.S.
Corey MacPherson recorded a driving and training double. Redland Peaches ($2.20) rallied from fifth to capture the fourth race in 1:59.2 for owners Mark, Rayne and Layelle Ramsay of Middle Sackville, N.S., while Rocket Blast ($13.90) came through late to win Race 6 in 1:59 for owner Carl Bagnall of Stratford, P.E.I.
Live racing continues Friday evening at 6 p.m. at Red Shores Charlottetown.
To view Thursday's harness racing results, click the following link: Thursday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(With files from Red Shores; photo of Buckhead Ridge winning on Oct. 2, 2025)