Sock It Away, Royalty west ho crowned Maritime Breeders’ champions

Euchred records Atlantic Canada’s fastest mile of 2018 season

Sock It Away showed he did not need an inside post position, or to see any pylons in the first lap, to capture the Maritime Breeders’ final for three-year-old pacing colts on Saturday evening.

Marc Campbell was at the lines of Sock It Away as he left from Post 8 in the $18,000 Doug Harkness Memorial Maritime Breeders final, and elected to take the overland route to the front end. Race favourite Half Cut (driven by Mark Bradley) laid down the early splits of 27.4 and 56.3, with Sock It Away in the outer flow before clearing to the lead past the half.

The three-quarters were reached in 1:26.2, then Sock It Away cruised home to a 1:56.1 victory over Dowahs Boy (Adam Merner) and Woodmere Ideal Art (Jason Hughes). The winning colt is trained by Kevin MacLean for owner Reg MacPherson of Stratford.

Filly final

Royaltywestho landed in the winner’s circle in the first threeyear-old pacing filly stakes’ final of the 2018 season as Walter Cheverie guided her to victory in the $22,100 Ken Starratt Maritime Breeders final.

R Es Shabla (Mike McGuigan) set the tempo on the front end, with splits of 28.2, 58.2 and 1:28.3, and Royaltywestho stalking in the pocket. Cheverie moved the daughter of Westwardho Hanover down the stretch, and she responded with a 28.2 closing panel for a time of 1:57.1.

R Es Shabla was second, and Woodmere Ceilidh (Clare MacDonald) completed the triactor.

The champion filly’s ownership papers are held by Gregory Francis and Joseph Baxter of Windsor, N.S. Baxter also handles the training.

Fastest mile

Euchred was the winner in the $2,650 Preferred Pace for the fastest mile of the 2018 Atlantic Canadian harness racing season after a winning time of 1:54.4 for driver Merner, trainer Terry Gallant and owner Kayla Habicht Walker of Inverness, N.S. A hardclosing Czar Seelster (Todd Weatherbee) finished second, with the show prize going to Cartoon Daddy (Corey MacPherson).

Campbell won with Elm Grove Kaboom in 1:57.3 and Pure Friendship in 1:59.3 from his own stable to complete the driving triple.

The total wager for the 12-dash card was $35,388.