By Nicholas Oakes for Red Shores
SUMMERSIDE, PE – In his first start of the season in Prince County, Mr Kelly asserted his back class in the Tuesday night featured pace at Red Shores at the Summerside Raceway.
The 15-dash card was headlined by the $3,900 Race 14 top class where Mr Kelly ($6.60) made no mistake off the gate, controlling the tempo en route to a front-stepping 1:56 victory for trainer-driver Adam Merner and his ownership group of Marsha Knox, Cory Livingston, Kevin Teasdale and Dustin MacInnis. The eight-year-old son of Rollwithitharry chopped out fractions of 28.3, 59.2 and 1:28.1 before sprinting home in 27.4 to fend off Braxtons Boy (Driven by Brady Sweet), who sat the pocket throughout and was a length back at the wire. Hes Touring (David Dowling) was third after a stretch drive battle.
Earlier on the card, a rookie filly was the centre of attention in Race 1 for $3,150, where Saulsbrook Desi ($7.70) stamped herself as the first two-year-old winner of 2025 in Atlantic Canada. The two-year-old daughter of Somewhere Fancy rallied for a half-length decision in 1:59.4 with Merner at the lines for trainer Lenny Myers and the ownership team of Grayland Farm and Joseph Gamba.
It was a solid night for Jaycob Sweet, who engineered a pair of victories from his own O’Leary stable. His first trip to the winner’s circle came in Race 6 as Timberlea Lady ($10.60) was a front-end winner in 1:57.1 in her $3,700 event for fillies and mares. Owned by Timberlea Standardbreds, the daughter of Pang Shui repelled Thinkingofeddie (Brady Sweet) in a tight finish.
Jaycob Sweet’s second score came in Race 12 with a powerful mission aboard Freemans Legacy ($11.90) in 1:57.0. The Pang Shui four-year-old held on by a narrow margin in the $3,400 test for trainer-driver Sweet and owner Mackenzie Arsenault. Longshot Doc Awesome (Adam Merner) flew late to snag second over post time favourite Howmac Exclusive (Corey MacPherson) to complete a $297.30 triactor ticket.
The final dash of the night saw the veteran pacer Well Did light up the toteboard in Race 15. Sent off at 18-1, the Paul Langille trained and driven pacer came charging from off-the-pace to win by a length in 1:58.3. The longshot winner paid $39.50 to win and topped a monstrous $1 high-5 ticket that returned $2,713.55. The win was the 60th lifetime for the 14-year-old son of Well Said.
Drivers Brodie MacPhee, Corey MacPherson and David Dowling also recorded driving doubles on the program.
Racing continues Thursday evening at 6 P.M., at Red Shores Charlottetown. Watch live at Redshores.ca and wager through HPIBet.com.
