Two-year-old pacing filly Fitness First rewrote the record books on Friday evening, Aug. 8 as Old Home Week racing kicked off at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
In the featured $8,000 MacDonald Family Pace, Fitness First ($2.30) romped to an 18-length victory in 1:54.4 to set a new divisional track record, eclipsing the 1:55.1 record held by High Roller from November 2023. Corey MacPherson trains and drives the Stay Hungry-Apogee Hanover filly, who is now three-for-four in her career, for owner Jim Gorman of South Melville, P.E.I.
Lila Berry (Mike McGuigan), Into The Maelstrom (Ken Murphy) and backstretch breaker Ea Money Maker (Marc Campbell) completed the short field that was scratched down to four. Fitness First left them all behind after first-half fractions of :29 and :58.2, opening up half a dozen lengths to three-quarters in 1:27.1 and sprinting away with a :27.3 final frame.
Rookie driver Zac Noye had a career moment with his first lifetime win in the sixth race, the $2,500 Kent MacDonald MP Cardigan Pace, steering veteran gelding Crosscut ($40.60) in a 1:57 mile for trainer Jay Noye and owner Mitchel Ellsworth of St. Louis, P.E.I.
The 19-year-old reinsman from Clyde River, P.E.I. earned his first victory in just his eighth drive, working out the winning second-over trip for the 19-1 upset over the favourites, a first-up Cheezwiz (Ken Murphy) and pacesetter Im Hungry (Paul Langille).
Among the other sponsored races, Cowboy Logic ($28.60) and driver Steven Shepherd won the race three District 15 & District 17 Liberal Associations Pace in 1:55.4 for trainer Harold Shepherd.
Abc ($7.40) captured the Bob Connelly Memorial R.E.’s Stable Pace in race five for driver Steven Murphy and trainer Clifford Murphy with a 1:56.4 mile.
Gascoigne AC ($4) and driver Marc Campbell won the Mick & Barb Dunn Memorial in race seven with a 1:56.1 mile for trainer Tammy Collings.
The eighth race Collings Timbermart & Ryan’s Driving School went to Dusty Lane Levi ($16.30) and driver Jason Hughes in 1:55 for the Greg Weatherbee barn.
One Rock ($2.80) was the best in the race nine Trevor Tracey – Trevor Tracey Family Funeral Home Pace with a 1:56.2 victory for the Luke Burke barn.
Trainer/driver Adam Merner opened and closed the program winning with two-year-old pacing colt Den Of Thieves ($4.50) in 1:57.2 in the opener and five-year-old pacer Well Said Celeb ($3.20) in 1:54.4 in the race 11 finale.
Racing continues on Saturday, Aug. 9 at Red Shores Charlottetown with post time at 4 p.m. (ADT), featuring two Gold Cup & Saucer Trials, presented by Atlantic Lottery.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(With files from Red Shores)