Woodmere Rock It received the sternest stretch test yet, but the undefeated rookie maintained his perfect record with a neck victory in the $31,600 Joe O’Brien Memorial Gold for two-year-old pacing males on Saturday, Sept. 26 at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
He grabbed the lead after entering the first turn four-wide from post six and grinding up through a :27.2 first panel. Gilles Barrieau rated him to middle splits of :57.2 and 1:27.1 and swung for home with the lead as Malicious Benny (Marc Campbell) tipped from the pocket to attack. Jamie Smith stablemate Woodmere Fergus (Jason Hughes) posed the biggest danger, however, as he rocketed from the three-hole to the passing lane and put the leader to a heavy drive in deep-stretch. Woodmere Rock It dug in, and the gelding hung on to score in 1:55.2 and improve to nine-for-nine. Malicious Benny was third by a length.
Woodmere Rock It earned his biggest payday to date, swelling his bankroll to $68,221 for Thestable Woodmererock It of Guelph, Ont. The son of Tobago Cays-Musette Mindale holds the two-year-old pacing record at both P.E.I. tracks and has now won eight stakes events in a row heading into next weekend's Atlantic Breeders Crown. He paid $2.10 to win.
Another sharp freshman, Sheeowtime Speed, took her fourth consecutive stakes win with an assertive performance in line to Marc Campbell in the $35,200 Lady Slipper Stake Gold for two-year-old pacing fillies. She took command with a lightning brush to the lead at the quarter in :29.1, produced middle fractions of :58.4 and 1:28.3 and held stablemate Starship Daisy (Paul Langille) to second by 1-1/2 lengths in the 1:57.2 win. Redland Equinox (Corey MacPherson) was third.
Sheeowtime Speed has won five of eight career starts for $52,782 in earnings for owners Windemere Farms of Springvale, P.E.I. and Matt and David Burke of Stratford, P.E.I. The daughter of Somewhere Fancy-Betty Hill races for trainer Earl Watts. She returned $3.20 at the windows.
Mappos Lion closed hard to capture the $10,000 P.E.I. Free For All Series event. After panels of :26.4 and :55.1, Ryan Desroche sent him first-over from third to three-quarters in 1:23.1, and the nine-year-old Sunshine Beach-Pacific Playmate gelding wore down pacesetter Ammo (Marc Campbell) to win by half a length in 1:51.1. Arbitrage Hanover (Ken Murphy) rallied for second, with Jmr Speak Away (Adam Merner) third.
Taylor Doyle trains Mappos Lion ($6.30) for owners Hailee Currie of Rocky Point, P.E.I., and Carol Campbell of Baddeck, N.S. The win was the gelding's 14th of the year in 17 starts and 44th lifetime in 100 outings, taking his earnings to $354,447.
Camco Kolton ($3.40) took his $15,800 Grassroots division of the O'Brien Memorial for two-year-old male pacers to feature in a training triple for Corey MacPherson. The Shanghai Phil-Camco Terra colt held on by a neck after setting the pace to score in 1:58.4 with his trainer aboard.
MacPherson's other successful pupils were Mr Rielly ($7.40) in the opener and Cheekie Play ($6.50) in the fifth race, both of whom he drove. The Cornwall, P.E.I. horseman's trainees are 32-for-199 this season, and his $209,073 in conditioning earnings in 2026 ranks as his second-best year.
The $17,600 Lady Slipper Stake Grassroots divisions went to Redneck Ruby ($33.50) in 1:59.1 for Langille and trainer-owner Grace Sorrie, Cafe De Flore ($2.10) in 1:57.2 and Isle Impress You ($2.70) in 1:58.2, both driven by Ken Murphy for trainer Saul Lanigan, and Ur Not Catching Me ($10.20) in 1:58.1 for Marc Campbell and trainer Mike McGuigan.
The $15,8000 Joe O’Brien Memorial Grassroots split winners were No Moni No Funi ($5.10) in 2:00.1 for Ken Murphy and trainer Clifford Murphy, Someplacesomewhere ($4.70) in 1:56.2 for trainer-driver Adam Merner, Camco Kolton and Irish Rover ($2.50) in 1:59.1 for trainer-driver Monica Sutherland.
Live racing continues Sunday at 1 p.m. at Red Shores Summerside with a special all-stakes program.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(With files from Red Shores)