SUMMERSIDE, PE – Post position proved to be no obstacle in Sunday's Atlantic Aged Pacing Mares final sponsored by Standardbred Canada at Red Shores at The Summerside Raceway as the Prince County Oval hosts a full-card of harness racing stakes action.
Drivingthedragon N left like a rocket from post 8 to secure the lead at the 27.2 quarter in the $15,716 event for trainer-driver Jason Hughes, who recorded a training-driving triple on the card. The seven-year-old daughter of Sutter Hanover then unleashed a 57 half-mile fraction, with three-quarters in 1:26.2 while fighting off the first-over Shadows Mystery (Gilles Barrieau). A final quarter of 28.2 sealed the deal for Drivingthedragon N for a three-length victory over Ramblinglily (Ken Murphy) with Shadows Mystery finishing third. Donald MacRae of Vernon Bridge owns Drivingthedragon N.
In Lady Slipper gold action on the program, Every Time won her $11,300 division with Corey MacPherson in the bike in 1:58.2, while Dustylandmissmolly captured the other division in 1:56.3 for driver Adam Merner.
Merner had another gold victory on the program, winning one of three $7,600 Joe O'Brien Memorial stakes with Beau's Cowboy in 1:56, while Abner The Great (Marc Campbell) won another split, as well as Jackson K Down (Barrieau) in 1:56.3.
The Lady Slipper stakes for two-and-three-year-old trotters also went postward on the program. Wicked Nick won his $8,000 Lady Slipper two-year-old stake in 2:03.3 with Gary Chappell in the bike, with the other two-year-old division going to Revenueofwindemere (Terry Gallant) in 2:05.1.
Mr Bower was victorious in his $7,600 Lady Slipper three-year-old trotting assignment down the road in 2:02.3 for Kenny Arsenault. Oceanview Pancho rewrote the record books in the other three-year-old Lady Slipper split, winning in 2:00.2 as part of a driving double for MacPherson, who was at the lines for co-owner and trainer Paul Larrabee of Belle River, and co-owner William Roloson of Belfast. The victory gave Oceanview Pancho the distinction of being the fastest three-year-old trotting stallion in Island history, while the gelding record is still held by Waiting On A Woman in 1:59.1, who was also driven by MacPherson that day five years ago.
Chappell, Gallant recorded training-driving doubles on the card, while trainer Ron Gass also had two winners.
By Nicholas Oakes For Red Shores