Best of Maritimes shines over weekend
The best in Maritime harness racing were on display during the Atlantic Breeders Crown championships this past weekend at the Charlottetown Driving Park and they did not disappoint.
The $ 24,000 three- yearold filly final was a nailbiter as Malabrigo barely held on in 1: 57.1 for trainer- driver Marc Campbell. Malabrigo had Ruby Vance ( Gilles Barrieau) safely fought off in the passing lane until Barrieau’s other trainee, A As Glory, found a little room up the pylons to come desperately close to ending Malabrigo’s win streak at 14. The Western Paradise three- year- old is owned by Buntainwood Farm of Brackley Beach.
Touch Of Lightning captured the three- year- old Atlantic Breeders Crown in 1: 54.4 for trainer- driver Earl Smith and owners Gerald Morrissey, Larry Chappell, and Peter and Don Smith. The Articulator colt used his wicked gate speed to his advantage and was virtually unchallenged the whole race through fractions of 28, 57.1 and 1: 25.3.
Touch Of Lightning was bred by the late Louis McIsaac of Fairview, who sadly left us earlier this year.
After that performance and considering the top free- for- allers went in 1: 56.2 the very next race, the question we have to ask ourselves is if the next great Maritime- bred free- for- aller is here? In the past 10 years we have had Maritime bred greats like Igoddago, Edgewater RB, Dunachton Gale, and Black Bowtie but since Dunachton Gale and Igoddago were competitive on the circuit in 2007, there has been virtually no maritime bred representation besides a very brief stint by Country Estate in 2009.
I’m not saying after Sunday that Touch Of Lightning is nearly two seconds better than the Invitational pacers, or that he necessarily will be the best one, but with his gate speed he could certainly be a major factor. I am sure the ownership group has plenty of high priced offers on the table to sell him to the states, but hopefully they put some consideration to keeping him in Charlottetown and giving P. E. I. racing fans one of their own to rally around in all of the big dances. Yearling sale The Atlantic Classic Yearling Sale was held Friday in Crapaud.
The sale topper was Woodmere Artisan ( Articulator- Sanfrangelica- Camluck), who was bought for $ 20,500 by the Filmores of Berwick, N. S., who owned the Phil Pinkney campaigned Dunachton Gale.
There were originally 109 entries in the sale but 18 were withdrawn before sale day, and 17 that entered the ring did not receiver a big higher than the reserve listed by the consignor, along with one bid in and one that did not sell. That left 71 yearling that changed hands in the sale ring for a gross of $ 354,300 and an overall average of $ 4,990.
The sale average for sires who sold three or more yearling were: Articulator, $ 9,971; Western Paradise, $ 6,917; Largo, $ 5,150, Coastocoast Yankee, $ 4,910; Ameripan Gigolo, $ 3,800; Aahm Canadian Now, $ 2,650; Astronomical, $ 2,267; N Xample, $ 2,263.
The Truro Select Yearling Sale is slated for Friday, Oct. 19, at 6: 30 p. m. with 26 entries. The mixed sale scheduled to be held beforehand has been cancelled due to a lack of entries. Across the continent The Lexington Select Yearling Sale wrapped up last weekend in Kentucky with Islander Walter Cheverie purchasing hip No. 655 Bourre for $ 4,000 from the Kentuckiana Farms consignment.
The Bettors Delight colt is out of the Real Artist mare Latakia ( two wins, $ 13,482, 1: 57.4 at Yonkers).
Saturday at Sudbury Downs, Sobeys Gold Cup and Saucer champion Eighteen was second in the $ 100,000 Remember Sudbury series final. From post 3, driver Tyler Moore set up shop on the front end through fractions of 26.4, 55.2, and 1: 25 before getting nipped by a neck in 1: 54.1 by Casimir Jitterbug. Fellow Gold Cup and Saucer finalist Piece Of The Rock ( Scott Young) was seventh with Island- owned Chasin Racin getting away last and never getting involved in the race to finish ninth. Eighteen won his elimination in the series the week before.
Moore has been a hot commodity since his Gold Cup and Saucer victory, as the 21- year- old has multiple drives every day at Flamboro and Grand River. He has also been listed in the majority of races at Sudbury Downs the past two weeks including horses racing in series for trainer Rene Allard. Eighteen’s Old Home Week win was only the young driver’s 36th lifetime and he now has added 23 more to that total in less than two months, including a win Monday night at Woodbine.