By Nicholas Oakes for Red Shores
CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – Island Beach Boy refused to be denied on the front end, going coast-to-coast to capture the $9,000 Cecil Ladner Memorial, presented by Ladner Source for Sports, during a rain-shortened Saturday evening card at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
Driver-trainer Adam Merner sent the Somebeachsomewhere gelding straight to command from post 1 and controlled every fraction through splits of 28.2, 58.2 and 1:26.3. Down the stretch, Island Beach Boy ($11.20) dug in gamely to turn back Roll Em (Driven by Marc Campbell) by half-a-length in 1:54.3. Wind Blown (Paul Langille) completed the triactor.
Island Beach Boy is co-owned by Ian Smith of Stratford and Arnold Hagen of Bible Hill, N.S.
Persistent heavy rain forced officials to cancel the remainder of the program after race 12. The card was to feature 15 dashes, including the second $9,000 Cecil Ladner Memorial Division, but was shortened for safety reasons due to driver visibility and lightening as another weather system hit PEI.
Earlier on the program, trainer Jennifer Doyle continued her sizzling 2025 season, sending out a pair of winners Saturday. Middleton Terror ($3.20) paced to a front-end score in race 6, winning in 1:53.0 with David Dowling in the bike for owners Kingsley Walsh of Albany and Frank Balcom of Amherst, N.S. Later in race 9, Doyle and Dowling teamed up again with Almanac ($5.20), who sprinted home in 1:54.4 for owner Ryan McLaughlin of Cornwall.
Trainer Jeff Holmes also doubled up on the card, striking first in race 10 with Elroy Shiner ($3.50). The eight-year-old Warrawee Needy gelding put up a 1:56.0 wire-to-wire win for owner Frank Sweet of Knutsford and driver Brady Sweet.
Holmes returned to the winner’s circle in race 11 with Early Play ($11.20), who delivered a sharp closing rally in 1:57.2 with Brady Sweet again in the seat. The Shadow Play five-year-old is owned by Tommy Collings of Mount Stewart.
Live racing continues Tuesday evening at 6 P.M. at Red Shores Summerside. For more go to Redshores.ca.
