• Kyle Burton
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Atlantic Sires Stakes 2011 Champions Crowned

The Atlantic Breeders Crown champions were crowned on Sunday afternoon, as the Atlantic Sires Stakes championship weekend drew to an exciting close at Red Shores Race Track and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.

The Atlantic Breeders Crown featured the best two and three-year old pacers and trotters of the Atlantic Sires Stakes season and race fans were treated to some thrilling racing action as $130,000 in purse money was handed out to the weekend’s top performers.

Capturing the title of top three-year-old pacing colt was Pictonians Souwest and driver Mike Stevenson in a time of 1:56.2 for owner Daniel Ross of Belfast, PE.  This is the second time the colt received the title of Atlantic Sires Stakes champion, as he was crowned the best two-year-old pacing colt in 2010.

Honey Do Jigtime was crowned the three-year-old pacing filly champion when she and driver Clare MacDonald crossed the finish line in 1:57.1.  The filly is owned by Morah Kerr of Greenfield, NS, and Phonsie MacEachern of Port Hood, NS.  The filly now boasts 12 wins out of 16 starts this season and had never missed the board this year.

The title of two-year-old pacing colt went to Astronomical Union with driver Marc Campbell holding the lines, setting a new lifetime mark of 1:57 for owner Reginald MacPherson of Stratford, PE.

The two-year-old pacing filly event went to Pictonian Amanda and driver Mike Stevenson setting a new lifetime mark of 1:57.4.  The ownership papers for this filly are held by Daniel Ross and Bill Bell of Belfast, PE.

The Sunday afternoon race card also included two Atlantic Sires Stakes trotting Invitational events.  Maple Leaf Spirit took top place honours in the three-year old event for owner-driver-trainer Ralph Annear.  Steven Sorrie of Montague, PE, also shares the ownership of this three-year-old filly.  The race time of 2:00.3 was a new lifetime mark for Maple Leaf Spirit and it equaled the track record for three-year-old trotting fillies.

The two-year-old trot invitational went to My Daisy Duke and driver Ronnie Gass in a time of 2:05.1 for owner Jonathan MacDonald of North Wiltshire, PE.

The Atlantic Breeders Crown weekend of champions also saw four families honoured for their tremendous contribution and commitment to sport of harness racing.  The Clifford Garland family of Newfoundland and Labrador, the MacQuarrie family of Nova Scotia, the O’Brien family of Prince Edward Island and the Dr. George Irving family of New Brunswick were all recognized at the Atlantic Breeders Crown Banquet on Saturday evening.

Author: Kyle Burton
Kyle is best known as the track photographer at Truro Raceway. He has been a regular contributor to Atlantic Post Calls, Trot Magazine and Standardbred Canada. Kyle is also the website developer for the Atlantic Standardbred Breeders Association.