It may have been Woodmere Stealdeal’s narrowest winning margin, but the fact remains that the two-year-old colt’s record is still unblemished after taking his $11,700 division of the Joe O'Brien Memorial on Sunday afternoon (Aug. 30) at Red Shores at Summerside Raceway.
Marc Campbell, who was at the lines of the Danny Romo trainee again this week, hustled the son of Steelhead Hanover off the gate and took take control of the fractions en route to a 1:56.4 victory for owners Kevin Dorey and Robert Sumarah. Dustylanegoliath (Gilles Barrieau) closed hard to finish at Woodmere Stealdeal’s saddle pad in second, while Woodmere Alvin (Corey MacPherson) and Moneyorroses (Steven Shepherd) finished in a dead heat for third.
It was the seventh win of Woodmere Stealdeal’s career from as many starts. He increased his bankroll to $32,463.
Saltwater Savage prevailed in the other $11,700 O’Brien Gold division with a front-end score of 1:58 for the first part of a Tom Weatherbie training double. Mark Bradley was in the driver’s seat for owners Kyle Gardiner, Mike Currie and Jerry MacKinnon. Runner-up Steel Reefer (Barrieau) was bested by 1-1/4 lengths while Justcallmedoc (Jason Hughes) laid in the three-hole to finish third.
Weatherbie’s other win came in a $9,000 Lady Slipper Grassroots division for two-year-old pacing fillies, as Western Wish won in 2:00.1 with Brodie MacPhee at the lines.
The front end held up in the other Lady Slipper Grassroots split, with Red Dirt Magic delivering as the favourite in 2:01.1 for the combination of driver David Dowling and trainer Earl Watts.
JJ Talisa drove up for an upset in her $13,000 Lady Slipper Gold division for pacing fillies, kicking clear by three lengths in 1:58.2 with Dale Spence driving for owners Robert and Maria MacLeod. Plain Jane (Campbell) cut out the fractions to finish second, while Little Miss Ava (Myles Heffernan Sr.) completed the $305.90 triactor.
Need To Know was first to the line in the second $13,000 Lady Slipper Gold event for the first part of a Hughes training and driving double. The Warrawee Needy filly stopped the clock in 1:59.4 for owner Donald MacRae. Favourite Tobins Brownie (Dowling) finished second with Elm Grove Penney (Spence) third.
Hughes’ other win came in an O’Brien Grassroots division for a $6,400 pot as Whistler surged for a 2:00.2 score.
Betterthanbutter (Adam Merner) won his $6,400 O’Brien Grassroots division for rookie colts in 2:00.1 from the Ron Gass stable, while Class Hero found the line first in his Grassroots split in 1:59 for driver Barrieau and trainer Greg Weatherbee.
Total handle was $43,261.
For race replays and more, go to www.redshores.ca.
To view Sunday's complete results, click the following link: Sunday Results – Summerside Raceway.
(Red Shores)