After a few anxious moments early, Woodmere Rock It put his usual dominance on display as he remained undefeated in seven career starts with a victory in the Joe O’Brien Memorial at Red Shores at the Summerside Raceway on Sunday, Aug. 30.
The son of Tobago Cays-Musette Mindale made a brief break in the middle of the first turn in the lone $27,760 O’Brien Memorial Gold division for two-year-old pacing males but quickly recovered and powered to the lead at the quarter in :28.1 for driver Adam Merner. Woodmere Rock It controlled fractions of :58.1 and 1:28 before sprinting home in :28 to win by 3-3/4 lengths lengths in 1:56. Malicious Benny (Marc Campbell) finished second with Woodmere Fergus (Jason Hughes) completing the triactor.
The Jamie Smith-trained Woodmere Rock It ($2.10) is perfect in seven outings, including six in stakes action, and has earned $47,017. The gelding tied a Canadian record last out at Charlottetown Driving Park and holds the overall record for a rookie pacer at both Red Shores tracks. He is owned by Thestable Woodmererock It of Guelph, Ont.
Marc Campbell dominated the 12-race all-stakes program with six driving victories. He combined with trainer Earl Watts, who won four races on the day, to take both $27,120 Lady Slipper Stakes Gold divisions for two-year-old pacing fillies.
Sheeowtime Speed ($3.20) captured the first Gold split in Race 2 with a first-over advance. She was a gapped-off trailer in the four-horse field through :29 and :58.4 early fractions, gained uncovered to three-quarters in 1:28.1 and charged down the lane to pull clear by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:58. Howmac Lula (Gilles Barrieau) was second with front-stepper Isle Impress You (Ken Murphy) third. The winning Somewhere Fancy-Betty Hill filly is owned by Windemere Farms of Springvale, P.E.I. and Matt and David Burke of Stratford, P.E.I. She has won three of her six starts and earned $27,807.
Starship Daisy ($2.20) prevailed in the other Lady Slipper Gold division in Race 7. Campbell and the Watts trainee sat second through :29.1 and :59.2 panels, split out going to a 1:29.3 three-quarters and took command in the stretch to win by two lengths in 1:58.4. Redland Equinox (Kenny Arsenault) finished second over Nauti Beach (Murphy). Francis Poirier of Havre-Aux-Maisons, Que., owns the winning daughter of Somewhere Fancy-Romance In Camelot, who is now four-for-six with $41,847 in earnings.
Watts and Campbell also teamed for victories with Ryder Roo ($2.60) in a $13,880 Joe O’Brien Memorial Grassroots division for two-year-old pacing colts in 1:57.4 and Ys Fancy Speed ($2.10) in a $13,560 Lady Slipper Grassroots split for rookie filly pacers in 1:59.4. Watts is in the midst of a career-best season with 75 wins from 209 starts for a strike rate of 35.9 per cent.
Campbell’s other victories came in $13,880 O’Brien Memorial Grassroots two-year-old male pace divisions aboard Wilson Cassidy ($3.80) for trainer Kevin Bailey in 1:58.3 and Grampiesdirtyjokes ($2.10) for trainer Landon Campbell in 1:59.4. He has 162 wins this season from 541 starts, a 29.9 per cent win rate.
Irish Rover ($33.80) supplied the upset of the afternoon in the opening $13,880 Joe O’Brien Memorial Grassroots division. Trainer-driver Monica Sutherland moved the 15-1 shot first-over to prevail in 2:01.
Southdale Jeff ($2.60) was a front-end winner in another $13,880 Joe O’Brien Grassroots division for trainer-driver Merner. The colt stopped the clock in 1:58.1.
Redland Abby ($6.20) and Hughes controlled every fraction of their $13,560 Lady Slipper Grassroots division on the way to a 2:00.2 win for trainer Stephen Quinn.
Cafe De Flore ($2.90) captured another $13,560 Lady Slipper Grassroots division in 1:58.4 for driver Murphy and trainer Saul Lanigan.
Dancin Lady Lou ($6.90) closed out the action with a 2:00 victory for trainer-driver Mike McGuigan in the final $13,560 Lady Slipper Grassroots division.
Live racing continues on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Red Shores Summerside.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Summerside Raceway.
(With files from Red Shores)