R Es Shabla equalled the track record for three-year-old pacing fillies at Red Shores at Charlottetown Driving Park during Friday night's harness racing program that was capped off by Czar Seelster's three-length score in the $20,000 James “Roach” MacGregor Memorial Pace.
The sophomore fillies competed in a pair of $12,000 Gold divisions of the Lady Slipper Stakes in which R Es Shabla cruised gate-to-wire to claim co-ownership of the 1:55 track record that Dustlanemissmolly set in 2016.
The Pang Shui-Jojoes Shabla filly carved out panels of :27.4, :56.2 and 1:26 en route to the 1:55 victory over Tobins Terror, who tried to dash up the inside and finished three-quarters of a length behind. Bettim Jackie came on for third.
Mike McGuigan drove R Es Shabla to her 11th and fastest career win from 23 starts. The filly, who is eight-for-13 this season, is trained McGuigan's father Leonard and owned by Lloyd Parsons of Carmanville, Newfoundland.
Saulsbrook Coral won the other division, prevailing off a pocket trip by a quarter-length in a personal-best 1:58.1 for trainer Earl Watts and owner Daniel Ross of Belfast, P.E.I.
Driven by Simon Allard, the Western Paradise-Shark Reef filly defeated Woodmere Wyldstyle, who had set fractions of :29.4, 1:00.1 and 1:29.3. The top two had gained some separation from the rest of the field down the backstretch when a pair of fillies broke stride. Chocolate Terror was the best of the rest, finishing five lengths behind in third.
The win was Saulsbrook Coral's second this year and just her third lifetime from 27 starts.
In the Guardian Gold Cup & Saucer consolation, Governor's Plate champion Czar Seelster and Kenny Arsenault followed in fourth through hot early fractions of :26.4 and :54.3 before charging three-wide to confront pacesetter Newbie and favourite In Spades at the 1:24 third quarter mark. The nine-year-old son of Stonebridge Regal flew by on the final turn and opened up three lengths down in the lane to score in 1:53 flat. In Spades finished second ahead of Newbie.
Gregory Weatherbee trains the career winner of 29 races and more than $200,000 for owner Tammy Johnston of Vernon Bridge, P.E.I.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.