No excuses needed
D Gs Camme prevailed in Governor’s Plate final
If D Gs Camme had of been beat he would have had every excuse in the book for why it happened, but no excuses were needed Saturday night at Red Shores at the Summerside Raceway.
The five-year-old son of Blissfull Hall was sent off the gate from Post 5 in Saturday’s $22,000 Governor’s Plate final and was strung hard to the quarter in 26.3 as Si Semalu took advantage of rail control to secure the front. D Gs Camme took a short-lived two-hole ride after the hard opener and was out and moving through a 55.4 half-mile mark before striking front and reaching three-quarters in 1:24.1.
When The Rev came calling down the stretch, a lot of horses would have packed it in but D Gs Camme prevailed by a neck in 1:54.3 in rainy weather for driver Gilles Barrieau, trainer Jackie Matheson and owners Ron Matheson, Tom Clark and Quentin and Hal Bevan.
The Rev finished second but was placed sixth for interference on R Caan earlier in the race, leaving Im Drinking Doubles second for Marc Whebby and All Turain third with Corey MacPherson in the bike.
D Gs Camme has another tall task in order Saturday in the $7,500 Exhibition Cup at Truro Raceway in Bible Hill, N.S. The pacer has drawn Post 7 in a seven-horse field with Barrieau in the bike.
All Turain has rail control with MacPherson, while The Rev (Danny Romo) has Post 2.
Driver Marc Campbell had two selections in the race and has opted to driver Summerside track record holder Big Surf from Post 4, while trainer Neal Moase has listed Todd Trites to sub-in for Campbell on Post 3 starter Mach It Big. R Caan (Terry Gallant) has Post 5 with Im Drinking Doubles (Whebby) leaving from Post 6.
The Exhibition Cup is carded as Race 11 on the 7 p.m. Saturday program at Truro Raceway as the half-mile oval is in the midst of Grand Circuit Week racing.
P.E.I. Scene
The Governor’s Plate card also had a scary mishap in the open mares final in Race 12 on the card as Willow Warrior misstepped and fell to the track at the three-quarter pole. Driver Mark Bradley was thrown to the ground while Veronicavermillion and driver Mike McGuigan were unable to avoid the accident, unseating McGuigan.
Thankfully, both horses appeared not to have suffered career-ending injuries, while McGuigan walked off the track on his own power and Bradley was released with a minor injury from Prince County Hospital after being taken there by ambulance for precautionary tests.
The fact that no one was seriously injured, and the horses were quickly caught and attended to speaks volumes for the quality of the drivers, trainers and horses in Island racing, especially considering five other horses virtually avoided the accident.
Saturday’s card at Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park promises to be an actionpacked affair, as a number of new horses are competing including four new open trotters to the Island ranks. Island native David Dowling also has three horses competing on the program, as the former Cornwall resident moved some horses from his Ontario base.