By Nicholas Oakes For Red Shores
CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – The James “Roach” MacGregor Gold Cup & Saucer Consolation, presented by The Guardian, produced a blanket finish Friday evening at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park, with New Brunswick pacer Nuttin But Finesse getting up for the $30,000 victory.
Driver Mike Downey orchestrated the winning trip from post 2, landing mid-pack early before swinging second-over past the five-eighths to follow race favourite Twin B Tuffenuff (Driven by Gilles Barrieau), who was first-over and battling pacesetter Malignity (Paul Langille) after opening splits of 26.2 and 55.2.
The three-quarters were reached in 1:23.1 with Malignity fighting back but was swarmed in the stretch drive as Nuttin But Finesse swung wide off cover to win in 1:52 for trainer Ellen Stevenson and owner Dr. Mitchell Downey of Saint John, N.B. Twin B Tuffenuff was second by half-a-length while Lakers Bank (David Dowling) was close by in third and Roll Em (Marc Campbell) closed well to finish fourth.
The $22,800 Lady Slipper Gold divisions for three-year-old pacing fillies highlighted the undercard of the program with three separate splits.
In race 4, Howmac Maleficent ($6.30) delivered on her rail control with Ken Murphy in the bike for trainer Joe Baxter and owner Peter Gilby of Lantz, N.S. The daughter of Malicious held off a late rally from favourite Tobins Dream (Brett MacDonald) to win by half a length in 1:58.1. Windemereontheline (Marc Campbell) was third.
Race 8 saw a major upset as Mindbodyandsoul ($22.60) rallied past heavy favourite Elm Grove Talia for trainer Earl Watts and driver Paul Langille. The Malicious filly stopped the clock in 1:55.3 for the ownership group of Windemere Farms, Beryl McNeill, Sterling Buchanan and Jack Quinn. Windemere Classie (Marc Campbell) was the runner-up while Elm Grove Talia (Dowling) faded to third.
The final Gold division in race 12 went to Badgirl Bridgette ($3.80) with Jason Hughes steering the Stonebridge Terror filly to her seventh straight win in 1:55.4. Bill Lanigan of Montague owns and trains the filly, who turned back longshot Jafetica (Myles Heffernan Sr.) and Starship Laska (Marc Campbell).
The Grassroots divisions for sophomore pacing fillies carried $11,400 purses each and were claimed by Molly Malone ($6.70) with Paul Langille driving for trainer Fred Paynter in 1:56.4, Thelastartie ($11.20) in 1:58.4 for trainer Watts and driver Marc Campbell in 1:58.4 and race 10 saw an upset as Pop The Pin ($29.30) used a pocket trip for driver Jason Hughes to win in 1:57.2 for trainer Ashley Gamester.
In overnight action, Bet On The Moon ($7.40) won the Larry Spencer Memorial Pace in race 1 for driver Gilles Barrieau and trainer Yvanhoe Landry in a 1:58.1 trip.
The George Wilkie Memorial in race 3 went to Friar Voltaire ($5.20) and driver Brady Sweet in 1:55.3 for trainer Basil Hunter.
The Allan & Gloria Bradley Memorial in race 5 had Rock And Twist ($2.80) win for trainer Brendan Curran and driver Adam Merner in 1:55.1.
The District 16 Cornwall-Meadowbank Liberal Association Pace in race 7 went to Almanac ($2.50) in 1:56.3 for trainer Jennifer Doyle and driver Dowling.
The Heath MacDonald MP Malpeque Pace in race 9 saw ABC ($8.30) win his third straight for trainer Clifford Murphy and driver Ken Murphy while The John Hennessey DVM Pace in race 11 went to Gator Hanover ($4.50) and trainer-driver Merner in a 1:56.4 clocking.
Live racing continues Saturday with programs at 12 P.M., and 6 P.M., culminating in the $100,000 Gold Cup and Saucer final, presented by Atlantic Lottery, as the last of 25-dashes on the day.
For more go to Redshores.ca.
