Red Shores at Summerside Raceway was bustling on Wednesday evening with a full 15-race card of stakes action for youngsters. Freshmen pacers and trotters made their career debuts in 12 Callbeck Stakes divisions while sophomore trotters duked it out in three Maple Leaf Trot divisions
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Marc Campbell was the big winner on the card taking four stakes divisions – two with his own pupils and another two for trainer Earl Watts. Gary Chappell drove three winners, including two for three-time winning trainer Wayne Bell. Stepping out for his season debut was the talented trotter Waiting On A Woman, who won the final Maple Leaf Trot split.
Pictonian Amanda ($12.50) rallied from last to first in the first $5,800 Callbeck filly event, halting the timer in 2:02 for driver Kenny Arsenault and trainer Wayne Bell. The Western Paradise-Southview Sasha miss, who was making her career debut for P.E.I. owners Daniel Ross and Bill Bell, is a full-sister to last year’s Atlantic Breeders Crown champion Pictonians Souwest and the 2008 runner-up Southview Spirit. She is also a half-sister to former Callbeck Stakes winner Southview Anand.
Malabrigo ($7) and trainer-driver Marc Campbell swept to command from third during the third panel in the next division en route to a 1:59.4 victory for Greenoaks Farm of Mississauga, Ont. The daughter of Western Paradise-Lots Abunny is a full-sister to stakes winner For The Luv Abunny and WEG circuit competitor Kid Carson, who has banked nearly $200,000 to date.
First Lady Of Art ($10.80), a daughter of Articulator out of Deliver Me, journeyed first over to capture her division in 2:01.3 for the tandem of Campbell, Watts and New Brunswick’s Painting The Town Stable.
The Ronnie Gass-trained Royal Wedding ($19.60) and driver Brian Andrew held off late closer Seeyouonthebeach to win the next filly split by a neck in 2:04.3. Andrew shares ownership of the Coastocoast Yankee-Queen Kathleen miss with William Andrew of Calgary, Alta.
J J Maywest ($7.70) went wire-to-wire in the final frosh filly division to win in 1:59.4 for driver Walter Cheverie and trainer Blaine McKenna, who co-owns the daughter of Western Paradise-Jenn Of Art with Islanders Harold Culleton and Gary Aitken.
Driven by Gary Chappell, Porthill Jack ($11.60) converted from the pocket to score a 2:02.2 triumph in the opening $5,600 Callbeck division for two-year-old pacing colts. The Force Of Life-Elm Grove Shian gelding, a full-brother to stakes competitor Porthill Galaxy, is trained by Stacey Lund for Islanders Vernon MacDonald, David Macmurdo and Kenneth Ramsay.
So Classy ($23) rallied three-wide at the third quarter mark in the next division to come on for the 2:01.1 score in line to Campbell. Watts trains the Articulator-So Shy colt, a half-brother to Atlantic Sires Stakes winner Howdidchado, for Painting The Town Stable.
Onward Finesse ($4.70) cruised to a 2:01 triumph for the team of Chappell and Bell. The son of Western Paradise-On Patrol Finesse, a full-brother to stakes starter Forever Finesse, is owned by Daniel Ross and Boyd Macdonald Prodce Ltd. Of Crapaud, P.E.I.
Next up was front-stepper Big League ($2.60), who clicked in 1:58.4 with a five length margin of victory. The Sean Dooley-trained Four Starzzz Shark-Bolero Tam Tam colt earned the second straight win of his career with Kenny Arsenault between the wheels. The Dooley Boys Racing Stable of Halifax, N.S. and Cheryl Geldart Greer of Norton, N.B. share ownership of the winning colt.
Pondside Thunder ($12.70) won the final division for freshmen colts, taking control at the half and pacing away to a 1:59.4 triumph with trainer Bernard McCallum in the bike. The son of Force Of Life-Raisin Ruckus, a half-brother to recent Maritime Breeders champion Putnmas Art, is owned by Newfoundland’s Clifford Garland.
Bert Honkoop’s homebred filly B J Carmalyta ($7.10) front-stepped her way to a five length tally in 2:11.1 in the first $5,850 Callbeck division for trotters. The debuting daughter of Meadowagogo-Leap Year Hanover, who was challenged by a pair of breakers throughout the mile, is a full-sister to stakes winner B J Eldorado.
Next up was Wayne Bell’s homebred filly Lil Miss Abbie ($10.80), who recovered from an early miscue and collared pacesetter Daisy Duke to score by a quarter length in 2:07.2. Chappell was in the bike for the Bo W-Mystery Balance filly’s debut.
The Iceman Aireth ($3.40) kicked off the action for sophomore trotters with a wire-to-wire score in the first $4,250 Maple Leaf Trot division for trainer-driver Marc Campbell. The Northern Bailey-Gracie Glide gelding won by over six lengths in 2:02.3 for Greenoaks Farm. The Iceman Aireth notched his fourth win from 13 races while making his 2011 debut. He surpassed $20,000 in lifetime earnings while taking a new mark.
Standout trotting filly Maple Leaf Spirit ($2.90) won her season’s debut in the next division, stopping the clock in a career-best 2:04. The Meadowagogo-Maple Leaf Legacy miss left from Post 6 and maintained a strong lead on the field as she trotted to a two length tally for trainer-driver Ralph Annear, who co-owns with Steven Sorrie of Montague, P.E.I. Maple Leaf Spirit put together a solid record of 8-6-0 in 14 starts as a two-year-old, banking $36,692. She is a half-sister to Atlantic Sires Stakes winner Maple Leaf Quix.
Divisional heavyweight Waiting On A Woman ($2.30) returned to the track and trounced his rivals with a seven length score in 2:04.4 in the next trot. After recovering from an early miscue, the son of Northern Bailey-Southwind Faith advanced to the lead and opened up daylight on the field with regular reinsman Corey MacPherson in tow. Trainer Mitchell Tierney and David Tierney of Cornwall, P.E.I. share ownership of the gelding, who won 10 of 12 races as a freshmen, never finishing off the board, and earning $36,537. Read more about the talented trotter in a recent issue of Trot Magazine here.
Racing returns to Red Shores at Charlottetown Thursday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 6 p.m. Lobster Carnival Week racing kicks off Sunday at Red Shores Summerside at 6 p.m. featuring two Governor's Plate eliminations.
For results from Wednesday’s harness racing card, click on the following link: Wednesday Results – Summerside Raceway.