Arc Light handed Marc Campbell an Atlantic record on Saturday afternoon at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park as the youngest driver to ever hit 2,500 victories on the East Coast.
The 36-year-old Winsloe reinsman found the milestone win in the tenth race of the day with his own trainee, Arc Light, in a 1:59.3 mile for owner Crossroads Racing Stable of Stratford.
Gilles Barrieau teamed up with Woodmere Skyroller for a repeat performance in the $2,900 Fillies and Mares Open class in 1:58.2 for trainer Kevin MacLean. Roselily (Jason Hughes) was second with Larjon Legacy (Dowling) third.
Driver David Dowling was the hot flavour of the day with three wins on the 14-dash program. Dowling scored a pair of wins from the Earl Watts barn with Galterio Hanover (2:02.3) for a maiden breaking score and with Howmac Missy (2:01.3). Dowling s other win came via a parked out performance with Babbling (2:00.4) for trainer Mike Dowling for the horse s second straight w
Perennial leading driver Marc Campbell returns to action Saturday afternoon and will look to be a big part of the first Super High-5 race at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
The afternoon program kicks off at 12:30 P.M. with Eagle Jolt and Campbell the morning line favourite in the race 14 finale featuring the first ever Super High-5 wager at Red Shores. The Super Hi-5 will involve picking the first five finishers in race 14, with Red Shores guaranteeing a minimum $1000.00 pool. In the absence of a correct winning ticket on Saturday, the closest combination will pay out a percentage of the pool and the remaining money will roll over to next week with a mandatory payout on the entire pool on the season ending Feb. 6 program.
Taking a textbook two-hole ride, Woodmere Skyroller surged forward to capture the Fillies & Mares Open Pace on Saturday (Jan. 9) at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
The Atlantic Champion pacing mare sat the two hole in her $2,900 assignment while watching pacesetter Woodmere Chella (Corey MacPherson) go through splits of :29.1, 1:00.1 and 1:30. Driver Gilles Barrieau then pointed Woodmere Skyroller out of her two-hole ride in the stretch drive to win by a length in 1:59. Woodmere Chella was second while Filly Forty Seven (Jason Hughes) was third.
The four-year-old daughter of Rollwithitharry is trained by Kevin MacLean for Reg MacPherson of Stratford.
Edison Hatter, USHWA Youth handicapping contest winner
New Year s Eve 2021 saw a close battle to the end of the 14-race harness racing card at Red Shores Charlottetown, and not just among horses and drivers. US Harness Writers Association (USHWA) Youth members of legal wagering age in their state/province were invited to handicap the only live races in Canada December 31, for non-cash prizes and bragging rights. It was a fun, skill-based competition, with zero pressure or expectation of betting.
Nicholas Ace Barnsdale (USHWA Canada chapter) opened the competition by being the lone handicapper to pick #9 Elm Grove Misty (Dave Kelly), a 2/1 winner in race 1. (The contest was judged based on hypothetical $2 win-place-show bet totals, as opposed to total number of winners.) Edison Hatter (Delaware Valley chapter) and Tony Elliott (Canada chapter) tied for the lead in race 2, when Barnsdale s selection #2 Lofty Shadow did not finish due to broken equipment; their co-selection #1 Monty
Last week Smart Official laid down the fractions to one of the fastest Winter miles in the history of Eastern Canada harness racing, but will look to go all the way Saturday afternoon (Dec. 26) on the Boxing Day program at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
The 14-dash Boxing Day card has a 12:30 p.m. (AST) opening post time with the $2,500 featured pace aligning in Race 13. Smart Official was on top for the majority of his latest start, but fell victim to Screen Test in the final panel in a spectacular 1:55.3 mile. With that preferred foe out of the picture, Smart Official will look to take advantage of post 4 on Saturday afternoon with Jason Hughes at the controls for trainer and co-owner Peter Lanigan and co-owner Sandra Stead of Montague. Creepin defeated the top class on Tuesday evening and gets post 3 to work from on Saturday for trainer-driver David Dowling, while Gordie Hennessey will sit up on Silverhill Buddy from post 1 from the David Myers