Summerside, PE – The first harness racing stakes card of the season was held Sunday at Red Shores Summerside with the running of the Ruby Chappell stakes for three-year-old fillies and the Bob Dewar memorial stake events for three-year-old pacing colts.
Three Pink Bows delivered as the post time favorite in the opening division of the Ruby Chappell for driver Danny Romo with Jann Down taking her Chappell assignment in 1:58.4 for Gilles Barrieau. The N.B. pilot had a driving triple on the program. The other winners in the Ruby Chappell included Elm Grove Joanette with Kenny Arsenault driving for the ownership group of Peter Smith, Charlottetown, Gerald Morrissey, Vernon River and Larry Chappell, Marshfield while Invader M closed out the Chappell Memorial splits with her third victory in a row for driver Corey MacPherson, owner Reg MacPherson and trainer Kevin MacLean.
Marc Campbell, who enjoyed a driving hat-trick on the 14 dash program, teamed up with the partnership of MacPherson/MacLean aboard Dixieland Band to win a $6,300 division of the Bob Dewar Memorial in 1:56.1, the fastest mile of the day. Campbell also claimed stakes hardware with Proven Desire, owned by Blair Hansen, Charlottetown, Meghan MacDonald, Charlottetown and John Thomas, Darmouth, N.S. The other winners in the Dewar stakes included BNGS Express (Romo) and Ultimaetlyhandsome for Kenny Arsenault's second score. The colt is owned by the Ultimate Stable, Greater Lakeburn, NB.
In other action, American Captain closed out the program with a 1:59.2 two length victory for driver Walter Cheverie, trainer Mike Campbell and owner Ronald Joy, Fredericton, N.B. Campbell has moved his base to Summerside Raceway.
Total wager on the program was $37,676.
By Lee Drake