The payday was big, but the margin of victory was small for Dukes Up in Sunday afternoon’s $17,600 Joe O’Brien Memorial Stake for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings at Summerside Raceway.
The lone ‘Gold’ division, which attracted a talented group of eight, saw Dukes Up and R Es Art battle to the quarter pole in :27.2 before Dukes Up backed off and settled for a two-hole trip. R Es Art proceeded to lead the field through middle panels of :56.3 and 1:26.4, but he didn’t have the stamina to take it to the house. Dukes Up summoned up a :29.4 kicker to win by a half-length margin over a hard-closing Kingdom Come in 1:57. R Es Art, who grabbed the show dough, fell short by that same margin.
Gilles Barrieau mapped out the winning trip for the Kevin McLean-trained son of Fit For Life-Duchess Of Dexter, who now boasts a 4-1-4 record from 16 trips to the track this season. The eight-time winner, who is owned by Reg MacPherson of Stratford, PE, is closing in on $70,000 in lifetime earnings. The 1:57 clocking matched the pacer’s lifetime mark.
A set of $6,400 ‘Grassroots’ divisions were also contested on Sunday’s card, with Rymar Sporty taking home the hardware in the first split after going coast-to-coast in a time of 1:59.2 for driver Ken Murphy. The son of Articulator-Rymar Smart whizzed through fractions of :29.1, :59.1 and 1:29.4 before rolling home in :29.3 to secure the win over Smooth Talkin Dan and Woodmere Fools Art.
Sent off at odds of 7-1 in the five-horse affair, Rymar Sporty improved this year’s record to 2-3-2 from 10 assignments. Bred, owned and trained by Eric Doucette of South Rustico, PE, the gelding has banked just over $5,000 to date.
Ebandtheboys earned a new speed badge when he prevailed in the second ‘Grassroots’ division in 1:59 for driver Walter Cheverie. The son of Whosurboy-Miss Breeze Maker took over shortly past the mid-way point and drew off to win by 2-3/4 lengths over Tobins Got It. Sittler tagged along to finish third.
Clark Smith trains the youngster, who now owns a 4-0-3 record from 17 starts after going for 0-for-9 in his freshman season. The career winner in excess of $8,000 is owned by Everett Stewart of Charlottetown, PE.
To view results for Sunday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Sunday Results – Summerside Raceway.