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Breeder’s Crown Champions Crowned in Charlottetown

By Nicholas Oakes  

CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – The best of Atlantic Canadian racing came to play Sunday afternoon at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park with the Atlantic Breeder’s Crown finals taking the spotlight.

Tyne Valley scored the first blow in the $9,000 two-year-old trot final, sponsored by Meridian Farms. Driver Mike Stevenson sent the William Roloson trainee right down the road from post 5 laying down front-end fractions of 32, 1:04 and 1:35.1 before hitting the wire on top by three-quarters-of-a-length over Suicide Shift (Steven Shepherd) and JK Blaze (Walter Cheverie). Tyne Valley is owned by Scott and William Roloson of Belfast and Kristi Pickering of Charlottetown.

Seanchai overpowered the three-year-old trot final for driver Jason Hughes and owner Buntainwood Farm of Brackley Beach. BJ Comanche (Clare MacDonald) was used hard from post 8, clearing to the front through the 30.1 first quarter before laying down a 1:01.3 half-mile and a 1:32.4 three-quarters with Seanchai advancing first over before kicking clear in the stretch for a 2:04 victory by four lengths over Dusty Lane Galaxy (Gary Chappell) and JK Hustler (Cheverie).

The $22,000 two-year-old pacing fillies final saw Woodmere Dancenart convert a second-over trip into a Breeder’s Crown victory in 2:00.1 for trainer-driver Clare MacDonald and Nova Scotia owners Morah Kerr of Greenfield and Phonsie MacEachern of Port Hood. Dusty Lane Bria (Kenny Arsenault) did all the road work, laying down the pace in 29.1, 1:00 and 1:30.1 before giving way in a hard fought stretch drive. Woodmere Articblue (Marc Campbell) was second with Jann Down (Gilles Barrieau) third.

Dixieland Band landed Barrieau in the winner’s circle in the two-year-old pacing colt final along with trainer Kevin Maclean and owners Reg MacPherson and David MacKenzie of Stratford and Aaron MacKenzie of Charlottetown. Dixieland Band used the rail to control the race, releasing Proven Desire (Campbell) to the lead in the 29 second opening quarter before retaking the front and not looking back with a 59 second half-mile, three-quarters in 1:29.1 and a quarter-length score in 1:58.3. Proven Desire finished second with George (MacDonald) third.

Elm Grove Inarush made her final East Coast start a winning one in the $22,000 three-year-old pacing filly final for owners Eddy Doucette, Blaine Thibeau, Grant Mann and Gordon Macleod, all of Kensington. Doucette does the training while Mark Bradley was in the driver’s seat to send the filly to the lead with leisurely fractions of 28.2, 59.1, 1:28.3 and a 1:58.1 mile time over Fleurje (Hughes) and Saulsbrook Alana (Campbell).

The $22,000 three-year-old colt final saw Arties Magic victorious in 1:59 for driver Todd Trites, trainer Earl Watts and owners Clive Balderston of Moncton, N.B., and Windemere Farms of Hampshire. Heavy-post-time favorite Rancousy (Darren Crowe) set up the fractions, using rail control, of 27.3, 57.4 and 1:27.3 then gave way in the stretch with Arties Magic rallying from second-over to win, Hollywoodgigolo (Steveson) finishing second and Just A Professor (MacDonald) in third.

D Gs Camme won the $5,000 Atlantic Breeder’s Crown invitational by 11-lengths in a blistering 1:53 over Astor (Hughes) and Mach Wheel (Crowe). D Gs Camme is trained by Jackie Matheson for Charlottetown owners Ron Matheson, Tom Clark and Quentin and Hal Bevan. The win was the second part of a driving double for Barrieau.

Campbell had four driving wins on the 14-dash card.

The Saturday afternoon card saw the $5,000 Atlantic Breeder’s Crown pacing consolations with Elm Grove Joanette (Arsenault) winning the two-year-old filly division in 2:00, Bngs Express (Dan Romo) in 2:00.4 in the two-year-old colt split, Outrageous Spirit (Barrieau) in 1:57.4 in the three-year-old filly consolation, and Woodmere Rondevous (Stevenson) taking the three-year-old colt race in 1:57.3.

Live racing returns Thursday night at Red Shores Charlottetown with a 7 pm start time.

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.