Untouchable One continued his perfect Atlantic Sires Stakes season on Saturday afternoon in the final regular season round for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings at Northside Downs with a spectacular track record performance.
Driven by Danny Romo for trainer Sean Dooley, heavy favourite Untouchable One jumped out to an early six length lead from post four in the first $9,080 'A' division for colts and geldings and cruised home to win in 1:58.4, holding off Watersides Kipper (Kenny Arsenault) by a quarter length. Go Ahead (Ben Hollingsworth) finished almost 10 lengths behind in third.
The Carlspur-Bolero Tam Tam-Jate Lobell gelding is owned by the Dooley Boys Racing Stable of Halifax, N.S.
His winning time shaved two-fifths of a second off the freshman track record, which was held by the Dooley Boys' former ATSS star Allbentouttashape.
Untouchable One has won all five of his ATSS starts this season to lead his division heading into Atlantic Breeders Crown weekend at Charlottetown Driving Park beginning Oct. 5.
Scarlet Chaser scored a hard-fought win to upset the next colt and gelding division for driver Clare MacDonald, trainer Earl Watts and owners Norman Hall of Charlottetown, Dr. Charles Hall of Erin, Ont., and Saulsbrook Stables Inc. of Windsor, N.S.
The Hussy Chaser-Lucky Hare colt cleared to command past the opening quarter, then fought off favourite Forever Paradise (Danny Romo), and had just enough left in the tank to nab the victory over the late-rallying T M Valley Storm (Redmond Doucet). J J Nitro (Kenny Arsenault) finished third.
Scarlet Chaser's 2:00.2 winning time (over a track downgraded to sloppy later in the day) matched the two-year-old colt track record, held by Goin Large, Deep Finesse, and Saturday 'B' division winner Pictonians Cyrus.
Kenny Arsenault trains and drove Pictonians Cyrus to the maiden-breaking victory for owner-breeder Joe O'Brien of Gardiner Mines, N.S. He also drove the other $2,500 'B' division winner, Island Iron Horse (1:59.1) for the Dooley Boys.
Another track record performance was put forth by Atlantic Sires Stakes freshman filly Carol Alice in her $7,020 'A' division. Trained and owned by Doug Rankin of Sydney, N.S., Carol Alice fought off eventual third-place finisher Top Brand (Danny Romo) and kicked away to a three and a half length victory in 1:59.1. Longshot Howmacs Angel (Marc Campbell) edged by the favourite for second-place honours.
The winning Brandons Cowboy-Keltic Sarah miss, who lowered West River Xtra's freshman filly track record by three-fifths of a second, edged past Top Brand in the point standings to take over the lead after five of their six regular season rounds.
Keeping her own ATSS record perfect in three outings (including one at the 'B' level), Misssassy Attitude turned back favourite West River Xtra (Clare MacDonald) and Ramblinglily (Marc Campbell) en route to a 1:59.4 victory in rein to Arsenault. Ramblinglily finished one and a half lengths behind in second while Windemere Maggie (Bernard McCallum) came in third.
The Brandons Cowboy-Briannas Attitude filly is owned by trainer Ken Wilkie of Stratford, P.E.I. and Larry Chappell of Marshfield, P.E.I.
In the other 'A' division for fillies, the Mike Stevenson-driven Largomotion put away the popular Western Judy (Marc Campbell) during her journey the winner's circle. The homebred Largo-Malocchio miss broke her maiden, winning by more than three lengths in 2:02. Life Of A Cowgirl (Clare MacDonald) followed from the pocket to place while longshot Putnams Kream (Bernard McCallum) came in third.
Tom Weatherbie trains Largomotion for Donald Smith of Pownal, P.E.I.
Tam O Shanter (2:04.1) also broke her maiden for trainer-driver Danny Romo in the lone 'B' division. She is owned by Robert Skinner and Stephen Tufts of Truro, N.S., Jeffrey Skinner of Hammonds Plains, N.S. and the GLB Stable of Lakeview, N.S.
Saturday's 16-race card concluded with the $7,500 J.A. Ferguson Memorial Invitational, during which Sterling Seelster pulled off a 13-1 upset, winning by one and a quarter lengths over Arabica (Clare MacDonald) and P H Bestman (Kenny Arsenault) in 1:57.2 over the downgraded sloppy track. Joseph Campbell drove the grey Camluck gelding to his third win in a row for owner-trainer Heather Hawkins of Sydney, N.S.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results – Northside Downs.