The 2021 season kicked off in grand fashion with an action packed Tuesday evening (Jan. 5) program at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
Benefitting from an early tussle, Winter Blast circled up to win the $2,600 featured pace on the 11-dash program to close out a training triple for conditioner Jennifer Doyle.
With No other tracks racing in the nation currently, the triple marks Doyle as the leading dash winning trainer in Canada. The Earnscliffe horsewoman and driver Ken Murphy teamed to win with Winter Blast in 1:58.4 after pacesetter Creepin took on favourite Rockin Indy and parked him to a cut throat :56.3 half-mile station. Winter Blast circled from last to win the race by two lengths over second-place Sports Royalty while Creepin held third.
Doyle also celebrated a win in the $2,350 Open Trot with Glider Man, driven by Kenny Arsenault, in a 2:00.2 score. Her other win was with Chocolate Swirl, who dead-heated for first with Revenant in 1:56.1 to remain undefeated since relocating East. Doyle owns all three trainees with partner Danny Birt.
The dead heat score with Revenant was one of two wins for trainer-driver Merner as he also visited the historic winner’s circle with Disneyman in a 1:57.4 score.
The night saw an occurrence for the harness racing record books as Bettim Vicky was a winner in 2:00.2 in Race 7 while her son U Bettim Watching was a victor earlier in the program in a 2:02.1 score. Both horses had Gilles Barrieau in the bike for trainer Jeff Lilley of Miltonvale Park, who also bred both horses.
In the opening dash of the night Barrieau drove Pacific Delight to victory in 2:00 from the Ron Matheson barn for a triple in the race bike.
Live racing continues Saturday Jan. 9, with a 12:30 p.m. (AST) opening post time. The day features the Chef of the Year–Andrew Smith Pace. Go to Redshores.ca for race replays and more.
(Red Shores)
To view Tuesday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Tuesday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.