CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – Forever Paradise landed on the scene late but that is all it took to land in the harness racing winner's circle in Saturday evening's $2,400 preferred pace at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
Mike McGuigan was reunited with the seven-year-old son of Western Paradise for the 1:57.3 victory for trainer Kevin MacLean and owners Reg MacPherson and David MacKenzie of Stratford and Aaron MacKenzie of Winsloe. Adkins Hanover and driver Ambyr Campbell set the tempo with fractions of 28.2, 58.1 and 1:28.1 before Forever Paradise emerged from mid-pack with the fastest closing quarter of the race to secure the victory as part of a McGuigan driving double. Adkins Hanover was second with Jeb (Kenny Arsenault) finishing third. Forever Paradise rewarded his backers with a $19.60 win ticket while the 4-3-7 triactor paid a healthy $629.40.
Julep Hanover has knocked on the door all season without a win but she decided to change her narrative in style Saturday night in the $2,250 Open Mares Pace. The eight-year-old daughter of Western Ideal was a 1:57.3 winner in the Open event as the longest shot on the board at 10-1. Wade Myers of Charlottetown trains, drives and owns the pacing mare as she converted a pocket ride behind Best Risque (Ken Murphy) into a narrow victory. Best Risque was second with Brodys Leona (McGuigan) completing the $558.90 triactor.
Kenny Arsenault hit a career milestone on the program winning his 3,000th career race with Private Di in 2:01.3. Arsenault, of Charlottetown, trains the two-year-old daughter of Mach Three for Wade Peconi of Stanchel. Arsenault scored later in the program with Pownal Bay Saul in 1:59.4 for trainer Tom Weatherbie and owner Ian Smith of Charlottetown.
Oh To Be Me rang in another birthday for trainer-driver-owner Gary Chappell of Charlottetown on the program. The now 57-year-old driver scored a 10-length victory in race 10 for a $1,400 purse in 1:57.1.
Live racing continues at Red Shores Charlottetown Thursday evening with a 6:30 P.M. post time and Saturday at 6 P.M.
Ryan Desroche Day Sunday In Summerside
Sunday afternoonwas a good day to have Ryan Desroche in the sulky as he tripled up at Red Shores at the Summerside Raceway.
The 19-year-old reinsman had four drives on the 12-dash afternoon program with him scoring three wins. Desroche had been winless so far this season as a driver but showed with the right horsepower he can deliver. The party started for the driver in race 5 as Onehotvett scored a first over victory in 2:01 for trainer Austin Sorrie and owner Tammy Collings of Hazel Brook. Painted Desert was the second part of the Desroche driving triple and the first half a training double for Kristina McCourt of Kensington, who trains Painted Desert for Perry Burke of Grosse-Ile, Que. The time of the mile was 1:57.4 in the $1,600 dash.
Desroche and McCourt reunited in the afternoon finale as Capitalism was on top at every call to win the $1,400 race in 1:59.1.
The only Desroche mount not to hit the circle was Ultimate Faith, who still mustered a second place finish for trainer Philip Desroche, the driver's father.
Pictonian Storm captured the afternoon featured event for driver Gary Chappell and trainer Austin Sorrie, for his second training win on the day. The 1:56.4 victory saw Machinthesand (Ken Murphy) finish second with Minor Wisdom (Wade Sorrie) finishing third.
Chappell had two wins on the program as he also won with Mia Lotta in 2:02.3.
Live racing continues at Red Shores Summerside next Sunday afternoonfeaturing the Callbeck Memorial stake for two-year-old pacers and trotters and the Maple Leaf trot for three-year-old trotters.
By Nicholas Oakes For Red Shores