SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. – Speed was on display Sunday afternoon as 14 horses contended for spots in Saturday’s 50th edition of the Governor’s Plate, presented by Township Chevrolet Buick GMC, at Red Shores at the Summerside Raceway.
Adkins Hanover pushed the issue early in the first $5,000 elimination as driver Ambyr Campbell sent the pacer to the front with blistering opening fractions of 27 and 55.2. That was when race favourite Euchred and driver Adam Merner abandoned the pocket to make a move for the front, touching down on the pylons before the three-quarters of 1:24.3. The Terry Gallant trainee finished out the mile unchallenged, winning in 1:54 for owner Kayla Habicht Walker of Inverness, N.S.
Second went to Mr Irresistible (Jason Hughes), while Nogreatmischief (Walter Cheverie) was third and Keep Coming (Corey MacPherson) completed the top-four pacers that will make their way to the historic $22,000 final.
The second $5,000 elimination capped off the Sunday afternoon program as Czar Seelster posted an upset at 8-1 odds with Kenny Arsenault at the lines for trainer Todd Weatherbee and owner Tammy Johnston of Vernon Bridge.
Do Over Hanover and driver Hughes guarded the rail at the start, parking out race favourite In Spades (Austin Sorrie) to the quarter in 27 seconds flat. In Spades would gain the front with fractions of 55.3 and 1:25.2, while Czar Seelster watched the action from the pylons in third. Czar Seelster advanced around the last turn to nail In Spades at the wire, while Do Over Hanover finished third and Cartoon Daddy (Dale Spence) finished fourth to punch his ticket to the final.
Arsenault said the trip worked out perfectly for Czar Seelster to land on the wire first.
“They were playing some hardball on front and I was hoping they would as that horse of Sorrie’s, In Spades, is a nice horse and if he had of got cheap fractions he would have been hard to beat,” Arsenault said trackside after the victory.
The fifth to seventh place finishers in each elimination will populate the $5,000 Governor’s Plate consolation, which will contain Give Em Heck, Tobinator, Fast N Victorious, Adkins Hanover, Zero Rate and Ashes To Ashes.
Governor’s Plate week racing continues Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. featuring the two and three-year-old trotters in Atlantic Sires Stakes action.
Charlottetown
An early break by race favourite Elm Grove Kaboom opened the way for an upset victory in the top event Saturday at Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
The speedy 10-dash program saw eight of the dashes timed in 1:57.2 or faster with the $2,200 top event no exception. Stars Above (Steven Shepherd) was the first to the pylons in the capital oval feature and he proceeded to string out favoured Elm Grove Kaboom (Marc Campbell) past the opening quarter in 28.1 before the later made a break. Stars Above then continued on the front end with splits of 56.3 and 1:27.1 with his competition swarming three-wide at that third station. That left an opportunity for Oh To Be Me, and Gary Chappell, to steer through traffic and hit the wire first in 1:56.4 at 5-1 odds. Second went to Tempo Seelster (Vincent Pouton) while Elm Grove Kaboom rallied for third. Oh To Be Me is trained and owned by Chappell, of Charlottetown.
Big Surf made his presence felt in his return to East Coast racing, as the former top invitational pacer was a front-end winner in 1:56.1 leaving from Post 8 for driver MacPherson, trainer Trevor Hicken and owner Perry Burke of Grosse-Ile., Que. The seven-year-old son of Somebeachsomewhere was sold by Burke to U.S. interests in 2016, with him last racing in Pennsylvania in May then reacquired by his former connections.
Campbell scored a driving triple on the program, winning with Jetster in 1:56.2 from his own stable, Painted Pony in 1:56.3 for trainer Raymond White of Belfast and Bettim Vicky in 1:56.3 for trainer Jeff Lilley of Milton.
The Saturday program was the last card at Red Shores Charlottetown until Thursday, July 19, as Island racing focuses on Governor’s Plate week racing in Red Shores Summerside with cards on Tuesday through Saturday. For more information go to www.Redshores.ca.
– Compiled by Nicholas Oakes for Red Shores.
SRW Results
Harness racing results from Sunday at Red Shores at Summerside Raceway.
Race 1 – Saulsbrook Flicka (P. Treves) 18.20 5.30 3.10; Backriver Duke (B. MacPhee) 3.10 2.10; Howmac Impeccable (D. Dowling) 2.40.
Times: 29.2, 59.1, 129.1, 159.1. Also ran: Windmerenoharmdone, House of Style, Oh To Be You, W C Emmastarwalker, Scottish Light. Winning horse owned by Paul Treves, Truro, N.S. Exactor 1-2 $49.70; Triactor 1-2-3 $71.20; Superfecta 1-2-3-4 $257.60.
Race 2 – Whosurwinner (A. Merner) 46.50 9.60 4.10; Mayhem Man (N. Rogers) 5.30 3.80; Wilson Frost (C. MacPherson) 2.10.
Times: 28.3, 59.3, 128.4, 158.2. Also ran: Quick Mad, Bold Arrow, Mr Pogge, All Access, Blu Meadow Willie. Winning horse owned by Deanna Clow, New Haven. Exactor 7-2 $198; Triactor 7-23-all $564.65; Daily Double 1-7 $122.70.
Race 3 – Prom King (K. Murphy) 4.50 3.50 2.50; Avenue Road Katie (A. Merner) 15.70 5.80; Windemereimalright (D. Dowling) 2.50.
Times: 28.4, 59.1, 129.3, 159.3. Also ran: MJS Little Martha, Handsome Frank, Hurricane E J, Easy Flyer, Shes a Lover. Winning horse owned by Barry Strongman, Gabe Keough, Tyler and Darrell DesRoches, P.E.I. Exactor 5-4 $39.80; Triactor 5-4-1 $113; Superfecta 5-4-1-7 $290.05.
Race 4 – Lexis Mandy (G. Chappell) 3.70 3.80 2.50; Anzula (D. Dowling) 8.30 5.20; Sandhill Star (K.Murphy) 3.00.
Times: 57.4, 28.1, 127.4, 158.3. Also ran: W C Kenzie Cookie, Sendmeasign, Pictonian Sareta, Private Dancer, Shouldabeenaclown. Winning horse owned by Chris MacKay, French River. Exactor 2-5 $24.40; Triactor 2-5-1 $84.60.
Race 5 – Winter Blast (J. Hughes) 5.60 3.40 2.40; Diggin In (C. MacPherson) 3.40 3.10; Mando Fun (K. Arsenault) 2.90
Times: 28.1, 57.1, 126.4, 156.0. Also ran: One Tough Nerd, Confident Fella, Salmonier Storm, Old Buck. Winning horse owned by Danny Birt, Stratford. Exactor 3-5 $19.50; Triactor 3-5-7 $43.60; Superfecta 2-5-7-2 $191.35.
Race 6 – Woodmere Ideal Art (J. Hughes) 3.60 2.10 2.10; J J Powerball (A. Sorrie) 2.70 2.80; Jds Double Dose (D. Spence) 4.90.
Times: 29.1, 58.1, 127.0, 157.0. Also ran: Slide Guitar, Dividend Day, Dustylanesam, Blacky Black. Winning horse owned by Ultimate Stable, Greater Lakeburn, N.B. Exactor 4-5 $6.50; Triactor 4-5-7 $53.20; Superfecta 4-5-1-7 $115.55.
Race 7 – Thebestofme (A. Sorrie) 31.30 11.20 4.70; Cyrax (D. Spence) 5.90 4.80; Windemere Johny (G. Chappell) 3.90
Times: 29.0, 59.4, 129.3, 159.3. Also ran: Useful Hanover, Inspector Murdoch, Do Well Hill, Woodmere Fools Son, Patrick Q. Winning horse owned by Megan and Mallory Lewis, P.E.I. Exactor 4-all $48.40; Triactor 4-7-all $580.90; Superfecta 4-7-5-3 $188.74.
Race 8 – Sodwana Bay (G. Barrieau) 2.50 2.10 2.10; Ramblinglily (G. Chappell) 3.20 2.40; Prettydangerous (A. Merner) 2.60.
Times: 27.1, 57.0, 127.4, 156.2. Also ran: Drivingthedragon N, One Hot Camshaft, West River Ambyr, Woodmere Finesse. Winning horse owned by Wayne MacRae, Nova Scotia; and Howmac Farms, North Wiltshire. Exactor 2-6 $6.10; Triactor 2-6-1 $11.20; Superfecta 2-6-1-7 $27.35.
Race 9 – Zambuca Gass (C. MacPherson) 41.40 11.30 8.10; Rising Fella (J. Hughes) 6.50 6.10; All Out (A. Merner) 5.10.
Times: 28.4, 58.4, 129.1, 200.1. Also ran: Dancers Pass, Sharks Play, Izzies Angel, Souverain, Coasttocoastshark. Winning horse owned by Melissa Banks, P.E.I. Exactor 1-3 $68.50; Triactor 1-3-all $181.50.
Race 10 – Euchred (A. Merner) 2.80 2.60 2.20; Mr Irresistible (J. Hughes) 5.30 2.60; Nogreatmischief (C. W. Cheverie) 7.80.
Times: 27.0, 55.2, 124.3, 154.0. Also ran: Keep Coming, Adkins Hanover, Zero Rate. Winning horse owned by Kayla Habicht Walker, Nova Scotia. Exactor 4-6 $6.40; Triactor 4-6-3 $44.80; Superfecta 4-6-3-2 $66.40; Pick 3 2-1-4 $18.75.
Race 11 – Offshore Cowboy (D. Spence) 5.40 3.80 2.90; Culpepper (J. Hughes) 18.90 12.70; Southfield Sassy (C. MacPherson) 4.30.
Times: 29.0, 59.3, 128.3, 157.4. Also ran: Heart and Guts, D J Supreme, J RS Hurricane, Rash B Havior, White Fish Flash. Winning horse owned by Kent Williams and Lyndon Hardy, P.E.I. Exactor 5-8 $97.50; Triactor 5-8-1 $345.50.
Race 12 – Czar Seelster (A. Sorrie) 18.50 5.50 3.20; In Spades (A. Sorrie) 2.60 2.10; Do Over Hanover (J. Hughes) 2.40.
Times: 27.0, 55.3, 125.2, 154.0. Also ran: Cartoon Daddy, Give Em Heck, Tobinator, Fast N Victorious. Winning horse owned by Tammy Johnson, P.E.I. Exactor 3-4 $28.60; Triactor 3-4-1 $62.50; Superfecta 3-4-1-7 $79.80; Daily Double 5-3 $31.30.
Wager – $46,491.
