A wild battle took place on the front end in Sunday’s second trial for this year’s Sobey’s Gold Cup & Saucer, and that had driver Gilles Barrieau grinning from ear-to-ear as he sat patiently behind the battlers with heavily favoured Hillbilly Hanover.
Clic K parked Proven Lover to the quarter pole in :26.2, and they continued to wage war to the half in :54.2. Hillbilly Hanover, who was planted on Proven Lover’s cover, powered to the lead in the backstretch and took the field to the three-quarter pole in 1:24.2 The Ron Burke pupil used a :27.2 closing panel to win by 10-1/2 lengths over Smokin Bear, with Proven Lover holding on gamely to finish third in the $10,000 affair.
“I swung out of there, but there was too much action gong on up front so I just opted to take a seat and let them go at it,” said driver Gilles Barrieau. “I swung wide up the backstretch and he just showed his class. The trip was there, but there’s no end to this horse. The farther he went the faster he went.”
The four-year-old son of Dragon Again-Hattie, who races for Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Frank Baldachino and Larry Karr, improved this year’s record to 4-1-2 from 11 starts with the win. The 11-time winner bumped his bankroll to $511,420 with the win.
On the undercard fans were treated to the second leg of the Premier’s Pace, which went to post in two divisions. Each tilt offered a purse of $4,000.
Touch Of Lightning went wire-to-wire in the first division for trainer/driver Earl Smith. The four-year-old son of Articulator-Aquatic Lightning distributed panels of :28.1, :57.4 and 1:26.4 before storming home in :28.1 to win by five lengths over Balanchine in 1:55. Third prize went to Cambest Kisser.
Sent off as the even-money favourite, Touch Of Lightning won for the second time this season and for the 16th time in his career. The career winner of $113,669 is owned by Peter Smith, Donald Smith, Gerald Morrissey and Larry Chappell.
Big League used the same tactical approach for driver Anthony MacDonald en route to capturing the second division. The four-year-old son of Four Starzzz Shark-Bolero Tam Tam ripped through panels of :26.2, :55.3 and 1:25.1 before cruising home in :30.1 to stop the teletimer in 1:55.2. Blue Star Outlaw was 8-3/4 lengths back in second, with Lucky Encounter rounding out the top three finishers.
Jonah Moase of Cornwall, PEI owns and trains the gelding who now boasts a 7-for-13 record this season and a 20-for-43 record in his career. The photogenic pacer bumped his overall cash stash to $73,569 with the victory.
To view results for Sunday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Sunday Results – Charlottetown Driving Park.