Trotters were in the spotlight on Wednesday night at Inverness Raceway as two and three-year-olds faced off in a handful of Atlantic Sires Stakes divisions
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On the freshman front Scarlet Patti, Red Pajamas and J K Queen each won a $4,140 division.
Scarlet Patti opened the card with a wire-to-wire score in 2:08.2 extending her win streak to four for trainer/driver Darryl MacLean, who also bred the Pjs Nabby-Scarlet Nite filly. B J Eldorado (Bert Honkoop) finished three lengths back in second and West River Ugo (Clare MacDonald) was third. Owned by Gordon MacLean of Winsloe, P.E.I., Scarlet Patti is the point leader for two-year-old trotters having won four of her six ATSS starts and finishing second twice. The Lady Slipper Stake winner has banked $17,868 so far in her debut season.
Red Pajamas went down the road to win the second two-year-old trot by three lengths in 2:09.1 with Marc Campbell in tow. Second place went to Diamond Mine (Russell Newman) and third went to Rustico Nicky (Teddy Smallwood). The daughter of Pjs Nabby-Rose Run Frances is trained and owned by Blayne White along with co-owner Sandra White of Belle River, P.E.I. Red Pajamas is now four-for-six in ATSS action.
The final two-year-old event of the night went to J K Queen, who won her first lifetime start in 2:12 with Teddy Smallwood at the controls. Hopedale Brandy (Walter Cheverie) finished five and a half lengths back in second and Glencove Umay (Darrell Neill) finished back in third. Trainer Joey Smallwood also owns and bred the daughter of Nikes Image-Princetown Lynn with Norman Clarey of Charlottetown, P.E.I.
There were also two divisions of three-year-old trotters going for $5,520 each. The first event was taken by Grayland Bling and trainer/driver Danny Romo in a career-best 2:05 for owner Paul Gray of Pugwash, N.S. West River Tigger (Clare MacDonald) was two lengths back in second and third went to Oyster Bed Mary (Brian MacPhee). The Black River-Sturdy Faith gelding notched his second ATSS victory in six tries.
The second three-year-old event was too close to call and there was a dead heat for first. Firedance Ridge and driver Harold Shepherd crossed the finish line at the same time as A C King and driver Ivan Jamieson in a time of 2:07.2. Comere (Walter Cheverie) was next to cross the finish line. For Firedance Ridge, a gelded son of Force Of Life-I Love Tequila trained by John Arsenault for owner/breeder Donald Dunsford of Charlottetown, P.E.I, the win was his first in six ATSS outings. A C King won his second ATSS division. Jamieson trains and owns the Cr High Sierra-Stormont Bouquet gelding with Ross Roberts of Debert, N.S.
Atlantic Sires Stakes action returns to the Inverness Raceway on Sunday when the two-year-old colts meet. Post time on Sunday is 1:30 p.m.
Also featured on Wednesday's card was a $900 Open Pace, which saw Victory George post a 1:57.3 career-best three length triumph in wire-to-wire fashion. Mark MacQuarrie, who scored four wins on the 13-race card, engineered the winning trip for trainer James Copley and local owner Russell Copley. The four-year-old son of Mantwo-Blue On By beat out runner-up Aahm Cruisin (Ryan Campbell) and third-place finisher Master Of Ceremony (John Beaton) for his sixth win of the season in 29 starts and 11th win lifetime.
To view Wednesday's harness racing results, click here.
(With files from Atlantic Standardbred Breeders Association)