Setting the stage for breeders crown final
Woodmere Oleksiak wins Atlantic Sires Stakes A division race
An Island filly came out on top as the preliminary round of the Atlantic Sires Stakes wrapped up for the three-year-old pacing fillies Saturday afternoon at Northside Downs in North Sydney, N.S.
Woodmere Oleksiak won her $9,960 A division at the half-mile track. She is now the top point earner in her division and will be the one to knock off in the Atlantic Breeders Crown final set for Oct. 13 in Charlottetown.
Leaving from Post 5 on Saturday, the Articulator-Oh Pretty Leigh sophomore was on top at every call and scored by open lengths for driver David Dowling, trainer Earl Watts and owners Hollis Newson of Cornwall, Windemere Farms of Hampshire and Nova Scotia owners Debbie E. Denney of Brooklyn and Ric McNutt of Onslow Mountain.
Second went to Elm Grove Nellie (Dale Spence) with Im A Miracle (Adam Merner) finishing third.
The other $9,960 A division was won by Unapologetically (Marc Campbell) in a corrected time of 2:00.3 after first-place finisher Emilys Angel (Kenny Arsenault) was placed to fourth for interference. The revised order of finish had Cheeky Cherry (Clare MacDonald) second and Howmac Sabrina (Dowling) completing the triactor ticket.
The Atlantic Sires Stakes trail continues this weekend with more action Saturday afternoon at Northside Downs as the twoyear-old
pacing fillies make the trek to Cape Breton. The card has a pair of $10,060 A divisions for the rookie fillies.
Divisional co-leader Saulsbrook Ocean has rail control in the first split for driver Spence while Bellafornow (MacDonald) is favoured in the other division. The second division also has Na Naa Said So, fresh off an upset performance in the $21,000 Lady Slipper gold stake Sunday afternoon at Red Shores at the Summerside Raceway. Bred by Gary MacPherson of North Wiltshire, the Westwardho Hanover filly sits seventh for points in the Atlantic Sires Stakes standings.
U.S. SCENE
Cornwall native John MacDonald hit a career milestone recently while racing at Vernon Downs in New York. MacDonald scored win number 4,000 of his driving career with Temple Door in 1:58.2 from his own stable. MacDonald currently sits second in the driving standings at the New York track and is the leading trainer for the meet.
Monday at Yonkers Raceway in New York, Hysteria extended his undefeated streak to six straight in a $19,000 non-winners class delivering as the heavy post-time favourite. Joe Bongiorno was in the bike for trainer Jen Bongiorno and his U.S. owners along with co-owner Billy MacKinnon of Stratford. The three-year-old son of Shadow Play won the first four races of his streak in Charlottetown under the tutelage of Michael Gallant, but now has two American wins. His Monday score was a new lifetime best of 1:51.3.