CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Thursday night was not a kind evening for betting favourites in the three top events at Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
Likely To Win had the mildest upset as he won the $2,000 featured pace in 1:57.2 with Adam Merner at the reins for trainer Melissa Rennie and Nova Scotia owners Blenise Young of Long Point and Lester Campbell of Judique, along with co-owner Jeffrey Campbell of Calgary, Alta.
Race favourite Oh To Be Me (driven by Gary Chappell) was second with Dial The Bossman (Jason Hughes) being placed up to third after Machinthesand (Ken Murphy) was placed to last for interference during the stretch drive.
West River Ambyr lit up the tote board in the $2,350 Fillies and Mares Open pace with a first over victory in 1:58.4 at 13-1 odds. Steven Shepherd engineered the winning journey for trainer Harold Shepherd and owners Haley Shepherd of Stratford and Clare MacDonald of Antigonish, N.S. Second place went to Shadows Mystery (Gilles Barrieau) with Brodys Leona (Corey MacPherson) finishing third. Race favourite Malabrigo (Marc Campbell) made a break at the start but rallied for fourth place.
The first trot race of the season was the same narrative as Frill Seeker was on top at every call for trainer-driver Kenny Arsenault and fought off heavily favoured Freddie (Campbell) to land on the wire first, stopping the clock in 1:59.3. Freddie was second with Hop Up (MacPherson) completing the triactor ticket. The winning horse is owned by Ebbsfleet Stables of Stratford, Ont.
Arsenault had two winners as a trainer-driver, visiting the winner’s circle with Caught Me Speeding in Race 3 with a 2:01.4 mile time.
Barrieau teamed up with trainer Jackie Matheson to capture three dashes on the 10-race program. The pair won with Real Amaretti in 2:01.3, Give Em Heck in 1:59.4 and Collective Wisdom in 1:58.2.
Live harness racing continues on the weekend with a 10-dash card scheduled for Saturday at 6 p.m. at the CDP, and Ruby Chappell and Bob Dewar stakes action Sunday at Summerside with a 1 p.m. first race post time.
For more information check out www.Redshores.ca.
