Charlottetown, PE – Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park kicked off the PEI Colt Stakes Thursday featuring the trotters at the harness racing legendary oval.
Majian Tango opened up the $4,500 two year division taking top place money for trainer-driver James Ripley while Just A Little Tad rallied to win her assignment for trainer Ron Gass and driver Corey MacPherson. Play Along scored his second win of the season for owner-trainer-driver Trevor Easter, Morell, PE.
Howmac Gyspy earned the first piece of hardware in the three-year old trot division for driver Jack Panting and trainer Ralph Annear. The winning connections were joined in the winner's circle by Rebekah Nitschmann a member of the UPEI swim team who was on hand for Panther night at the track. Glencove Zani pulled off an upset in the second three-year-old $5,600 split for driver Michael McGuigan and trainer Edward Smallwood.
In other action, Freddie notched his third win in a row in the open trot for driver Marc Campbell and Three Wisemen stable of Cornwall, PE in a dazzling 1:57.4. The trip is a new track record for aged trotting geldings. Narragansett captured the evening's top class presented by Intelisys Aviation Systems in 1:56.4 for trainer-driver Jason Hughes and Foxyhall racing stable, Summerside, PE.
Gilles Barrieau, Corey MacPherson and Gary Chappell had driving doubles on the program.
The PEI Colts Stakes, Canada's longest running stakes program with 82 years of history, continues Saturday with a double header. Post times at 1pm and 7pm.
The wager was $24,190
For complete results go to www.redshores.ca
Lee Drake