Sent the 8-5 favourite, Time To Dance delivered in the $12,500 first trial for the Guardian Gold Cup & Saucer on Saturday (Aug. 15) at Charlottetown Driving Park.
Trainer-driver Marc Campbell grabbed control of the race with Time To Dance past a :27.2 first quarter but yielded for the pocket into the stretch first time as Simple Kinda Man rushed for the lead before a :54.3 half. Screen Test, tracking that move, then raced uncovered up the backstretch and drew alongside Simple Kinda Man by three-quarters in 1:23.1.
Into the stretch Simple Kinda Man clung to a slim lead while Screen Test continued to dig into the pacesetter to the outside. Time To Dance found room through the passing lane and dove inside, sliding by Screen Test and Simple Kinda Man to win by two lengths in 1:52.4. Father Ofthe Year also qualified for the final, finishing fourth.
A four-year-old gelding by A Rocknroll Dance, Time To Dance won his sixth race from 18 starts this season and his 13th from 47 overall, earning $82,863. Brent Campbell and Matthew McDonald own the $5.40 winner.
Zero Rate won the $2,300 Mayor’s Pace in 1:57.1 for driver Kenny Arsenault, trainer Michael Gallant and owners Billy MacKinnon of Stratford and Calvin Larkin of Mermaid.
The first $3,000 elimination of the Birthplace Of Confederation Series saw Arc Light and Marc Campbell win in 1:54.4 over Berazzled, Falls Creek and Jordies Hope. Those four will advance to the pacing mare’s final on Gold Cup and Saucer night.
J K Express had a lifetime best performance in the Allan (Kitten) Livingston and Ian (Cat) Smith Memorial, as driver Jason Hughes toured the oval in 1:54.3.
(with files from Red Shores)
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.