The first six spots in the $60,000 Gold Cup and Saucer final are now settled as Trial’s 1 and 2 were held Saturday and Sunday at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
Fleet Sensation and Gilles Barrieau took Trial 1 in 1:53, after chasing down pacesetter Fire On The Water, driven by Anthony MacDonald. MacDonald sent his charge to front through fractions of 27, 55.3, and 1:23.4 before being caught by the first over Fleet Sensation. Oakmont, with driver Danny Romo, finished third to also earn a spot in the final. Secret Weapon finished fourth, and Awesome Armbro N was fifth, while the final spots went to Pan Larceny, In Gorgeous and Chasin Racin. Chasin Racin (John MacDonald) finished sixth but was placed eighth for interfering with Im Gorgeous (Mike Stevenson) and knocking him off stride at the quarter pole.
Fleet Sensation is co-owned and trained by Dean Nixon of Amherstburg, Ont., along with co-owner Cheri Mulcaster of Essex, Ont.
Firethorn was victorious in 1:51.3 in Sunday afternoon’s Trial 2 with John MacDonald in the bike for trainer Ron MacDonald and owners JP Stables of Winchester, Ont.
CDP track record holder Part Shark was sent to front by driver Gilles Barrieau and laid down fractions of 27.2, 55.2, and 1:24.1, before being collared down the stretch by Firethorn in a 27.2 final quarter. Did It Again finished third for driver Marc Campbell to make the final. Race favourite Southwind Lynx was caught out the entire mile and finished fourth for driver Stevenson, with Ultimate Success fifth. The other finishers were Carnivore, Western Raydar, Rare Jewel, and As Tuff As Nails.
“I originally bought a horse called One False Move and I had planned to take him but he didn’t pan out,’’ MacDonald said after Firethorn’s trial victory. “Firethorn we claimed for $30,000 and he seemed to be better at the time so we took him home. We had to have something in it. Just to have some fun.’’
MacDonald knew Part Shark deserved respect but the way the race unfolded allowed Firethorn to get handy to him.
“(Part Shark) went some pretty tough fractions and up the backstretch I wasn’t sure if I could catch him. But around the last turn he came back to me and my horse swelled up and I figured I had him, definitely.’’
Firethorn doesn’t show any miles faster than 1:53 and change over Rideau Carleton but John MacDonald says those miles are more impressive than they appear.
“He doesn’t get enough credit for those miles. The (first) halves were 57 and change. Like he paced a back half in 54 and change the other day. That’s hard to do on a track like that. We thought with a trip like he had today he would go in 1:52 or 1:51 and change.’’
MacDonald says drawing the rail in the Gold Cup and Saucer final and getting another two-hole trip would be ideal for Firethorn but isn’t necessary for the Dragon Again pacer to have a shot at victory Saturday.
“He’s very good second or third over,’’ MacDonald said. “If the flow brings him into the race and he can spring off a helmet at the top of the stretch he can beat some nice horses. He just went in 1:51 and a piece and there are only a handful of horses that can do that so he’s legit.’’
