SUMMERSIDE, PE – Hot Deuce has landed on red soil and he proved he came here to play in Sunday afternoon's $5,000 Governor's Plate eliminations at Red Shores at the Summerside Raceway.
The Patrick Shepherd trained Hot Deuce was put on top at every call by driver Walter Cheverie as the free-legged son of Armbro Deuce laid down incredible fractions of 27, 54.4 and 1:23.1 before unleashing a 29 second closer to win in 1:52.1, just two-fifths of a second off Ys Lotus' 1:51.4 track record. Crombie A (Driven by Marc Campbell) rallied from off the pacer to finish second, with Forever Paradise (Adam Merner) finishing third and Allstar Seelster (Norris Rogers) finishing fourth and earning a berth in Saturday's $22,000 Governor's Plate final, presented by Summerside Chrysler Dodge. Shepherd, a native of Stratford who now resides in Ontario, trained Hot Deuce for owner Mike McAllister of Beaumont, Alta.
The other Governor's Plate elimination was also claimed by a newcomer to Island racing as Do Over Hanover used first over tactics to win in 1:53.1 for driver Campbell, trainer Chris MacKay and owners Allard Racing Inc., of Saint-Esprit, Que., Red Isle Racing of North Granville and Steven MacRae of Vernon Bridge.
Adkins Hanover (Merner) put down the early fractions of 27.1 and 55.1 before giving way to Junebugs Baby (Myles Heffernan), who had a tire flattened earlier in the race, up the backside for three-quarters in 1:24.1. Good Friday Three (Kenny Arsenault) was second, Invictus Hanover (Jason Hughes) was third and Junebugs Baby finished fourth to make the final.
Cheverie had a driving triple on a card with one of those wins coming aboard Ramblinglily in a $2,400 Open Mares pace in 1:55.1 over Shadows Mystery (Arsenault) and Scirocco Miley Kay (Gilles Barrieau).
Another $2,400 Open Mares class was captured by Prettyndangerous in 1:54.4 at 13-1 odds for driver Merner, co-owner and trainer Bo Ford and co-owner Arnold Myers, all of Charlottetown. Race favourite Woodmere Articblue (Campbell) was second with Good Luck Kathy (Hughes) rounding out the triactor.
Driver Ken Murphy also had a driving triple on the program.
Live racing continues at Red Shores Summerside Tuesday night at 7 P.M.featuring the Atlantic Sires Stakes for two and three-year-old trotters sponsored by Meridian Farms as part of Governor's Plate Week racing.
By Nicholas Oakes For Red Shores