By Nicholas Oakes For Red Shores
CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – Buckhead Ridge was unstoppable in the top trot while trainer Shayna Toll doubled up, Myles Heffernan Jr., scored a driving milestone and Jennifer Doyle dominated the pacing feature during an action packed Thursday evening card at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
Lorne Valley Barb ($4.10) gave a career defining moment for rookie driver Myles Heffernan Jr., as the 34-year-old reinsman scored his first career driving win in race 3 of the night. The Glace Bay, N.S., native guided the eight-year-old daughter of Articulator to first-over triumph stopping the clock in 1:59 from his own stable for owner Barry MacLeod of Cardigan. Psili Ammos (Driven by Kenny Arsenault) was second ahead of Stealing Bases (David Dowling).
The trotting feature carried a $3,850 purse in race 8, and Buckhead Ridge ($2.40) was right on cue from post 4, controlling every step for driver Marc Campbell. The five-year-old Nuncio gelding laid down fractions of 28.4, 59.2 and 1:28.4 before kicking home in 29.1 for a 1:58 victory. Owned by Brady Doyle of Stratford and trained by Landon Campbell, Buckhead Ridge remains perfect on the East Coast in three tries as he held off New Legacy (Dowling) and stablemate Final Text (Gilles Barrieau).
The Jennifer Doyle Stable swept the top two spots in the race 9 $3,600 featured pace as Shake N Blake ($8.00) surged in the stretch to edge out fellow stablemate Elm Grove Mistress (Dowling) in 1:56.2. Ken Murphy steered the Hes Watching mare to victory for owner Doyle of Vernon Bridge. Acefortyfour Dome (Jason Hughes) was third.
A training double was also turned in by Shayna Toll, who sent out two front-end winners with co-owner and driver Ryan Desroche. Carnival Heart ($5.40) scored in race 4 in 1:56.3 with Toll and Desroche back again in race 7 with Wisemoon ($8.90), a three-year-old Bet The Moon filly, who earned victory in 1:58.3 for co-owner Brett Leblanc of Charlottetown.
Live racing continues Saturday evening at 6 P.M., at Red Shores Charlottetown with a stakes laden Sunday set for 1 P.M., at Red Shores Summerside. Programs, replays and more are available at Redshores.ca.
