The Lady Slipper Series moved to Charlottetown Driving Park on Thursday night with a pair of divisions for sophomore trotters and three events for the freshmen carded on the 12-race program. Multiple repeat winners were in the spotlight including Scarlet Patti
, who notched her sixth straight win.
Comere got the balling rolling in the evening’s opener, one of two $7,300 divisions for three-year-olds, with a wire-to-wire score for teamster Marc Campbell and trainer and co-owner Blayne White. The In Power-Coquettish Chip colt stopped the clock in 2:05.1 over a track rated two seconds off. Rustico Silverstar (Joey Pineau) journeyed first-over to claim the runner-up spot with Pks Devil (Earl Smith) finishing back in third. Kuri White of Wood Islands, P.E.I. also shares ownership of Comere, a winner of four races in 13 seasonal starts, including his Lady Slipper Stake division on August 26 at Summerside Raceway.
Oyster Bed Mary and driver Brian MacPhee also led from start to finish turning back a challenge from Wiskeyandseven (Marc Campbell) during the middle panels. The daughter of Nikes Image-Puslinch Princess pulled off a two length score in 2:05.3 for trainer Paul Morrison, who co-owns with Allison Ferguson of Charlottetown, P.E.I. Dunmore Chip (Edward Smallwood) rode the pocket to finish second and A C King (Ivan Jamieson) finished third. The winner of five races in 12 starts also won a division of the series in first round action.
In the first of three $6,200 divisions for freshmen, Scarlet Patti journeyed first-over from third and pulled away by four lengths under the guidance of Daryl MacLean to win in a career-best 2:05.4 over the pocket-sitting B J Eldorado (Bert Honkoop) and pacesetter Red Pajamas (Marc Campbell), while the rest of the field finished multiple lengths in arrears. Winsloe, P.E.I. resident Gord MacLean owns the Pjs Nabby-Scarlet Nite filly, who ran her win streak up to six. Scarlet Patti has won seven of her nine starts and finished second twice. She is also a repeat offender in the Lady Slipper Series.
Rustico Nicky front-stepped her way to a 2:09.1 victory in the next division for trainer, driver and owner Ed Smallwood. The Nikes Image-Rustico Moonshine miss finished two and a half lengths ahead of Murray M (Garth Cole) and Howmacs Amigo (Earl Smith). It was her second (consecutive) win in 10 starts.
In the final stakes event, Nikes Image-Dusty Lane Nipper colt Unstoppable Image converted a pocket trip into a 2:07.3 maiden breaking triumph in rein to trainer Ronnie Gass. Pacesetter Diamond Mine (Russell Newman) finished two and a quarter lengths behind in second and West River Ugo (Clare MacDonald) was third. Gass also shares ownership with David Tierney of Cornwall, P.E.I.
To view Thursday's harness racing results, click here.