Sodwana Bay stomps rivals in Atlantic mares final

Sodwana Bay’s rivals were no match for her in the Atlantic Aged Pacing Mares Series final, presented by Standardbred Canada, at Red Shores at Summerside Raceway on Sunday afternoon. Under the command of Gilles Barrieau, Sodwana Bay settled mid pack at the start of the $15,517 final as the heavy posttime favourite while Traces Of Purple (driven by Kenny Arsenault) gained the early lead, then released Driving the dragon N (Jason Hughes) to the front. Traces Of Purple would retake the lead, and that is when Barrieau pulled the trigger and launched his trainee to the lead at the 28.1 opening quarter and opened up for the duration of the mile.

She tripped the half in 57, the three-quarters in 1:26.2 and trounced her competition in the lane by five lengths to stop the clock in 1:55.2. Traces Of Purple finished second over Collective Wisdom (Walter Cheverie). Wayne MacRae of Fall River, N.S., and Howmac Farms Ltd., of North Wiltshire hold the ownership papers of Sodwana Bay. The action-packed Sunday afternoon card featured the Lady Slipper Stakes for trotters, the Joe O’Brien Memorial Stakes for three-year-old pacing colts and the Lady Slipper Stakes for threeyear-old pacing fillies.

Four wins

Barrieau had four wins on the program as he clicked with Bettim Jackie in a $12,000 Lady Slipper Gold Division for sophomore pacing fillies in 1:56.1 for trainer Jeff Lilley of Milton, L Weather B in a $6,500 O’Brien Grassroots Division in 2:00 and Mile Hill Willie from his own stable in 2:05.2 in a Lady Slipper two-year-old trot stake for a $7,500 pot.

Sock It Away remained perfect on the year with another victory to give him 15 straight trips to the winner’s circle. Marc Campbell was in the driver’s seat for trainer Kevin MacLean in the $10,000 O’Brien Gold Division in a time of 1:54.3.

The other $10,000 O’Brien Gold Division split was won by JJ Powerball and trainer-driver Austin Sorrie of Montague in 1:57.1. Royaltywestho claimed her $12,000 Lady Slipper Gold Division for three-year-old pacing fillies in a mile time of 1:56.2 for driver Cheverie and trainer Joe Baxter of Windsor, N.S. Dusty Lane Titan hit the wire first in his $7,500 Lady Slipper two-year-old trot stake in 2:03.1 for trainer-driver Marc Campbell.

The $8,000 Lady Slipper threeyear-old trot divisions were won by West River Cindy (Ken MacDonald) in 2:00.4, and Buckaroo in 2:00.1 to give Campbell three wins as a driver and two wins as a trainer on the day.

See summary, page B2.