A victory in Tuesday's Atlantic Sires Stakes action with the speedy two-year-old pacer Forever Paradise was the highlight of a five-bagger in Saint John, N.B. for Exhibition Park Raceway's leading driver Gilles Barrieau.
Picking up the drive on Forever Paradise for trainer Kevin MacLean, Barrieau worked out a perfect pocket trip behind the Western Paradise-Mariart gelding in the first of three $7,440 Atlantic Sires Stakes 'A' divisions on the 11-race card.
Fresh off a 1:57.2 track record victory at Summerside Raceway in the Joe O'Brien Memorial Gold Stakes, Forever Paradise followed The Rev (Danny Romo) through fractions of :29.3, 1:00.1, and 1:29.4 before wearing him down and drawing off to a three and a quarter length victory in 1:59.2 over the off track, which was rated three seconds slow. The Rev settled for second while Paraprosdokian (Marc Campbell) followed for third. The favourite paid $2.50 to win.
Forever Paradise earned his first ATSS trophy and now boasts wins in half of his six starts for purse earnings totalling $9,487. The $5,500 Atlantic Classic Sale yearling purchase is owned by Reginald MacPherson and David Mackenzie of Stratford, P.E.I. and Aaron Mackenzie of Winsloe, P.E.I.
In the second division, driver Ryan Ellis sent Woodmere Trakeater to the lead from post four and carved out fractions of :30.2, 1:00, and 1:30.3 en route to a 2:02.1 victory over his late-rallying stablemate Koultons Rocket and trainer-driver Darren Crowe. Saulsbrook Astrobo (Barrieau) finished third. The winner returned $8.50 to his backers.
Woodmere Trakeater has now put together back-to-back stakes wins in seven career starts. Victories in his O'Brien Grassroots division and today's ATSS round have boosted his bankroll to $8,617. Owner Edward Maher of Lower Sackville, N.S purchased the Articulator-Contrite Hanover colt for $2,200 at the Atlantic Classic Sale.
Driven by Kenny Arsenault, Untouchable One pushed his stakes win streak to five with a wire-to-wire romp in the final "A" split for trainer Sean Dooley and his
partners in the Dooley Boys Racing Stable of Halifax, N.S.
The Carlspur-Bolero Tam Tam gelding took the lead from post five and never looked back as he cruised by panels of :29.3, 1:01, and 1:31.3 en route to the 2:00.3 triumph. T M Valley Storm (Walter Cheverie) finished four and a half lengths behind in second and Scamp Finesse (Clare MacDonald) was third. The favourite paid $2.60 to win.
Untouchable One is now five-for-six in his young career with $17,255 earned in purses. After finishing second in a maiden race to kick off his career, the brown gelding won a division of the Callbeck Stakes and four subsequent ATSS events.
Dynamic Datsyuk earned his first career win in the lone $2,500 'B' division over stablemate Mr Monday. The homebred Western Paradise-Island Tradition colt stopped the clock in 2:03.2 for trainer-driver Clare MacDonald and co-owner Morah Kerr.
Barrieau's other wins were with his own trainee Pownal Bay Mustang, Kendal Delta for conditioner John Osborne, Obamanator for Dr. Hugh Baird, and Michaels Pleasure for Serge Otis. All five of his wins occurred between races two and seven.
To view Tuesday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Tuesday Results - Exhibition Park Raceway.