Charlottetown, PE – Beaus Cowboy stole the harness racing headlines after winning the $11,000 Joe O'Brien memorial gold division Saturday at Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park. He was the longest shot on the board, paid $54.60 to win and had to do it from post 8.
Walter Cheverie mapped out the winning trip for trainer Ron Gass and owner Alex MacPhee, Clyde River, PE by tracking sixth in the early going as the boys played hard ball up front when KD Overdrive (Gilles Barrieau) and Howmacsblackjack (Earl Smith) fired off the gate to beat favorite Heart and Soul (Clare MacDonald) through opening splits of 27.3, 58.2 with the three quarters reached in 1:29. Beaus Cowboy was fifth at the head of the stretch and picked off the leaders to win in dramatic fashion in 1:59 flat over Heart and Soul and KD Overdrive. The 8-1-5 triactor paid $790.70.
Jackson K Down wired the field to take top spot in the next O'Brien gold for the Downey Stable of NB and driver Gilles Barrieau. The colt, trained by Stephen Mason, notched his eighth win from nine starts.
The Lady Slipper gold splits were won by Howmacfiesty (Danny Romo) and Dixie Lullaby (Todd Trites).
In other action, Mileysgotthepower (Gary Chappell), Pictonian Rachel (Mike Stevenson) won their assignments on the grassroots of the Lady Slipper Stakes.
The O'Brien grassroots were captured by Dees Boy (Kenny Arsenault), JJ Jodster (Marc Campbell) and JK Cowboy (Ryan Perrot).
Forever Paradise doubled up Barrieau with a victory in the Preferred Pace while Shellys Man was involved in Marc Campbell's two scores in the Martin MacDougall memorial. Majian Chester won the open trot for driver Ken Murphy, trainer James Ripley and owner Marylea Ripley, Amherst, NS.
For complete results go to www.redshores.ca
Lee Drake