Charging in the final quarter, Covered Bridge demolished the field in the 65th edition of the Gold Cup and Saucer, presented by Atlantic Lottery, on Saturday, Aug. 17 at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
The $100,000 Gold Cup and Saucer final saw Larry Karr (Driven by Austin Sorrie) protect the rail through opening splits of :26.3 and :54 with post eight starter Save America (Adam Merner) swinging first-over then clearing to the lead at the three-quarters of 1:22.1. Save America kicked clear past three-quarters but had no answer for Covered Bridge (Jordan Stratton) who was charging around the last turn to draw clear by three-and-three-quarter lengths in 1:50.4. Twin B Tuffenuff (Gilles Barrieau) emerged from the back of the pack to finish second with Save America third.
Covered Bridge won his second straight Gold Cup and Saucer final for trainer Jeff Gillis and owner Mark Ford of New York. He now sports 51 lifetime victories with more than $1.46 million in earnings.
The program also had Sugar Bowl (Barrieau) win the $15,000 Birthplace Of Confederation Series, in memory of Doug Hill, in 1:54.4 for trainer Ashley Gamester.
The $21,300 Joe O'Brien Gold divisions for three-year-old pacing colts saw victories by Tobins Chester (Jason Hughes) in 1:53.1 for trainer Gamester in his seventh straight as well as Jack Boswall (Marc Campbell) in the other division in 1:55.1 for trainer Keith MacDonnell.
The $7,500 Colonel Dan Open Trot was won by New Legacy (Hughes) in 1:58 for trainer Jennifer Doyle. The race saw an accident at three-quarters when Jessiejesorjessica (David Dowling) made a break and knocked stablemate Glider Man (Myles Heffernan Sr) to the ground.
Both horses went through the incident unscathed walking back to the barn under their own power. Heffernan and Dowling were cleared by paramedics with Dowling booking off the remainder of his drives and Heffernan driving the remainder of the program.
The $8,500 Premier's Pace had American Risk (Stratton) deadheat for win with Blood Money (Barrieau) in 1:53.
Trainers Gamester, Ron Matheson and Tom Weatherbie had training doubles.
Live racing continues Tuesday evening at 6 p.m. at Red Shores Summerside. The full broadcast from Saturday night is available below.
To view the results from the Gold Cup & Saucer card of harness racing at Red Shores, click the following link: Saturday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.
Roll Em Gives Campbell Old Home Week Win 26
With a three-wide power move up the backstretch, Roll Em left his foes in the rearview mirror in the $15,000 P.E.I. Harness Racing Industry Association Invitational Saturday afternoon at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park as the first part of a Gold Cup and Saucer Doubleheader.
Roll Em scored a five-length victory in 1:51.4 for co-owner and trainer Brent Campbell and co-owners Brady Doyle, Savage Stable and Ryan MacLeod. Pacesetter Fern Hill General (Driven by Brodie MacPhee) was second ahead of Ilikemebettor A (Mike McGuigan).
Roll Em’s victory was number 26 of Old Home Week 2024 for driver Marc Campbell as the Orwell horseman has clinched the Francis McIsaac Memorial Award and closes in on his own all-time record for wins in a single Old Home Week. Campbell set the record of 31 victories during Old Home Week 2013, which had six extra programs on the schedule that year with doubleheaders nearly every day.
Campbell will try his luck at five extra victories during the evening program at Red Shores Charlottetown starting at 6 P.M. featuring the $100,000 Gold Cup and Saucer, presented by Atlantic Lottery, in the race 14 finale.
The afternoon card also had Grassroots divisions of the Joe O’Brien Memorial Stake carrying purses of $10,650.
Allaboutthecash (Gilles Barrieau) won his division in 1:55.1 from the Jeff Holmes barn as well as the Ashley Gamester trained Ididitmyshui (Jason Hughes) in 1:57 and Heres To Art (Ken Murphy) in 1:55.4 for trainer Clifford Murphy.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park (afternoon).
(Red Shores)