The biggest race of the season was claimed by a pair of Shepherds last Saturday in The Guardian Gold Cup and Saucer, and now the second half of the Shepherd clan has delivered their own upset seven days later with Cowboy Logic in the Preferred Pace at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
Patrick and Robert Shepherd won the Gold Cup and Saucer final with Smooth Lou, but this Saturday was their brother Steven Shepherd’s time to shine with a Preferred win by Cowboy Logic in the $3,400 class, stopping the clock in 1:53.2. Their father Harold Shepherd trains the son of Western Ideal for owners Maurice McCabe, Angus Birt, Gerard Ellsworth and George Burke. Favourite The Rev was second with Screen Test rounding the $454.10 triactor ticket.
Saturday was a career night for driver Adam Merner as he collected half the races on the 12-dash program.
The Charlottetown driver was chomping on the bit from the start as he won Race 1 of the day with Howmac Maximus (1:57.1) for trainer Wade Sorrie, followed by a Race 2 victory aboard Messier Seelster (1:57.1) for trainer Jenn Doyle. Pictonian Thunder (1:56.3) was a Race 3 winner for Merner and trainer Melissa Rennie for the early trifecta. Race 5 was a dead-heat affair as Southwind Bronn, driven by Merner, landed on the line together with Grand Ave Legend (driven by Ken Murphy) in a race time of 1:56.1. The Southwind Bronn victory was the second half of a Doyle training double. The wins continued for the native of Port Morien, N.S., in Race 7 with Bank Shot Hanover (1:58.3) from the Brendan Mullen barn. The final victory of the six-race Merner romp was in Race 10 of the day as the Kyle Wilkie trained Regally Magnified (1:56.3) reached up to win by a head.
Murphy had a driving triple as he also won with Pillage And Burn (1:57) for trainer Trevor Hicken and Pictonian I Am (1:59.1) from the Robert Phillips barn.
(Red Shores)
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.