The Cyril MacDonald-trained and Paul Langille-driven Chocolate Terror ($5.60) was a handy gate-to-wire winner on Sunday (September 10) in the $12,848 Nova Scotia Stake at Inverness Raceway, as the Stonebridge Terror lass dominated the two-year-old pacing filly showdown.
Chocolate Terror, who is out of the Artiscape mare Chocolate Art, lined up in Post 4 and went straight to the top right from the word ‘go.’ The bay carved the panels in :31, 1:01.3 and 1:32 en route to a three-length victory in 2:00.2.
Saulbrook Coral (who was driven by Mark Bradley) started from the rail, sat the pocket through the fractions, and finished second. Cherry Pop (Darren Crowe), who had started from Post 5 in the dash, had been up and challenging for the lead at the three quarters, but had to settle for third when all was said and done.
The complexion of the race was altered in the middle half of the dash, as the post time choice, Woodmere Ceilidh, suffered broken equipment and made a break. Two other fillies – Super Shadow and This Old Millie – were also affected via interference and ended up making breaks.
Chocolate Terror, who was sent postward as the slight second choice, is owned by David Livingstone (of Halifax, NS). The filly was purchased for $6,000 at the 2016 Atlantic Classic Sale.
The card also featured a pair of $10,160 Atlantic Sires Stakes ‘A’ divisions, which showcased some of the Maritimes’ top two-year-old pacing colts and geldings currently in training.
The first of the ATSS splits came in Race 5, where the Gilles Barrieau-trained and driven Tangled Mind ($4.00) was a strong, even-money winner from Post 6. Barrieau and his charge were overland in fourth at the :29.2 quarter pole and were first-up in third at the :58.4 half. The duo made the lead in the third stanza, clicked off three quarters in 1:28.4, and paced home to a one and a quarter-length win in 1:59.4. Pocket rider Weekend Atnannies (Michael McGuigan) finished second, while String Busters (Danny Romo), who raced overland for a fair bit, finished third, just one and a half lengths in arrears to the victor. Tangled Mind is a colt by Pang Shui and is out of the Western Terror mare Toxic Terror. Tangled Mind is owned by Alfred Barrieau (Dieppe, NB) and Michael Clinton (Saint John, NB).
The second of the ATSS splits came in Race 8, and it was the 3-1 third choice, Half Cut ($9.60), who converted a two-hole trip into a one and a half-length victory in 1:58.1. Pilot Mark Bradley and his charge started from Post 4 and worked out the pocket trip for trainer Tom Weatherbie. The bay gelding sat the garden spot as Sock It Away (Gilles Barrieau) cut the fractions in :29.3, :59.2 and 1:30. Bradley called for pace in the final quarter, and he and Half Cut got up to nail the wire first. Sock It Away finished second. Dustylanewesty (Clare MacDonald) raced overland for the final three quarters of the mile and finished third, two and three-quarter lengths in arrears of the victor. Half Cut is by Stonebridge Terror and is out of the Paris Dexter mare Beckys Filly. Half Cut is owned by Kyle Gardiner (Cardigan, PE), Joseph Gardiner (Mount Stewart, PE), Michael Currie (Cardigan, PE) and Jerry Mackinnon (St. Peters Bay, PE).
The card also featured an $1,100 Winners Over Pace, and the even-money Intended Royalty ($4.10) paced to a dominant gate-to-wire win for driver Red Doucet and trainer Randy Copley in 1:58.1 The margin of victory was four lengths.
To view the harness racing results for Sunday at Inverness, click the following link: Sunday Results – Inverness Raceway.