Four divisions of the Lady Slipper Grassroots Stake went postward during the Friday afternoon card at the Charlottetown Driving Park, with three-year-old pacing fillies butting heads
in the $5,000 affairs.
Woodmere Destiny and driver Corey MacPherson stalked pacesetter Coco Rose through panels of :29.2, 1:00 and 1:30.1 before gunning down her front-stepping foe in the final strides. Woodmere Destiny prevailed by three-quarters of a length in 2:01.2 over Coco Rose. Pownal Bay Gail took home the show dough.
Ronnie Gass trains the daughter of Artesian-Woodmere Teardrop for owners David MacPhail and Roderick MacLean of Cornwall, PEI. It was the first win of the season for the filly, who is closing in on $10,000 in lifetime earnings.
Howmac Royale took over command shortly past the mid-way point in the second division, and that proved to be the winning move for the daughter of Royal Mattjesty-TA Jomar. In rein to Marc Campbell, the Earl Watts trainee drew off to win by 1-1/2 lengths in a time of 2:01.4 over Two For Three. Southview Skye rounded out the top three finishers.
Howmac Farms Ltd of North Wiltshire, PEI bred and owns the four-time winner, who has banked in excess of $11,000 to date.
Cruising Champette and driver Paul MacKenzie took the third division in gate-to-wire fashion. On top through panels of :29.2, :59.1 and 1:29, the Eddy Doucette-trained daughter of Twin B Champ-Sequestered used a :29.4 final frame to seal the deal over Jenae Bluefin and Emyvale in a career-best clocking of 1:58.4.
Blaine Thibeau and Gordon MacLeod co-own the youngster with her breeders, Eddy Doucette and Grant Mann. The PEI partnership has watched the filly put together a 3-0-2 record in her first six starts.
Western Swinger and driver Todd Trites took full advantage of a perfect two-hole trip behind Askbeforeyousign before stepping past that foe in the final quarter en route to the 2:00.1 score. Askbeforeyousign held on for the runner-up award and Rivervue Riah took home third prize.
It was the second win of the season for the John Perry-trained daughter of Western Success-Northern Swingtime, and the effort went down as a new lifetime mark. Emily Perry of Charlottetown PEI holds the papers on the filly.
To view Friday’s results, click here.