Euchred took control and drew away to wire his competition in the $2,650 Preferred 1 Pace at Charlottetown Driving Park on Saturday, Aug. 25.
Driver Adam Merner sent the six-year-old gelding by Shadow Play to lead the field of five through a :28.1 opening quarter and maintained that speed through a :56.2 half. Tobinator, sitting the pocket, attempted to pounce on the pacesetter moving to three-quarters but remained two-and-a-half lengths off the lead through a 1:25.2 station and lost ground as Euchred opened his margin through the stretch. The Terry Gallant trainee won by five-and-a-quarter lengths in the end with Tobinator holding second from Nabber Again another five lengths back in third.
Owned by Kayla Habicht Walker, Euchred, from the Camluck mare Tipsy Taters, won his 11th race in 25 starts this season and his 40th in 120 overall, collecting $95,258. He returned $4.20 to win.
Sucrose Hanover sat the pocket and overtook race-leader Adkins Hanover through the stretch to win the $2,350 Preferred 2 Pace in 1:55.4.
The Joseph MacDonald trainee secured the two hole as Adkins Hanover posted a :29.1 opening quarter on the lead. Cartoon Daddy, positioned third, tipped first over moving to the half, timed in :58.1, and applied minor pressure up through three-quarters in 1:27.1. The favourite faltered rounding the final turn leaving Adkins Hanover solely to contend with Sucrose Hanover at the head of the lane and driver Corey MacPherson capitalized off the pocket ride to pull one-and-a-half lengths in front of Adkins Hanover at the wire. I C True Grit, from third over, took third.
An 11-year-old gelding by The Panderosa out of the Artsplace mare Sweet Nectarine, Sucrose Hanover, owned by MacDonald, won his fifth race in 28 starts and his 38th in 288 overall, earning $314,243. He paid $7.10 to win.
Vaulting three wide from second over, Ramblinglily dashed to the lead and held off Nikes Cowgirl kicking off her helmet to pull a neck victory in the $2,350 Fillies and Mares Open.
Dustlanemissmolly took control from post one and led the field through a :28.2 opening quarter. Ramblinglily, positioned fifth, picked up cover when West River Ambyr tipped first over from third moving to the half timed in :58.1.
West River Ambyr stalled uncovered approaching three-quarters and prompted driver Ken Murphy to send Ramblinglily three wide through the 1:28.1 station with Nikes Cowgirl circling past horses into contention. Ramblinglily owned a one-and-a-half length lead into the stretch as Nikes Cowgirl dug into her deficit, finishing a neck back at the wire in 1:57.1 ahead of Brodys Leona closing for third.
An eight-year-old mare by Articulator out of the Drop Off mare Crafty Jewel, Ramblinglily, owned by trainer Allan Jones and Normand Leger, won her fifth race in 14 starts this season and her 61st in 126 overall, earning $180,738. She paid $6.40 to win.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.