Lady Cafe Au Lait makes it 13 straight

CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – Lady Cafe Au Lait continued her harness racing dominance Thursday evening at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park with her 13th consecutive victory.

Marc Campbell sent Lady Cafe Au Lait to the lead in the $5,550 featured pace and controlled the proceedings through fractions of 27.2, 57.4 and 1:27.2 before closing in 27.2 to win by one-and-a-half lengths in 1:54.4. Brokeandoutofgas (Driven by Gilles Barrieau) finished second with Windemere Saddy (Ken Murphy) completing the triactor.

Lady Cafe Au Lait [$2.10] is trained by Earl Watts for owners Windemere Farms of Springvale and Matt and David Burke of Stratford.

Corey MacPherson won five races on the 15-dash program to move within 13 victories of 2,000 for his career.

The Cornwall driver started his five-win performance aboard Cinnamon Swirlz [$3.00] in the opener, winning in 1:58.2 for trainer Stacey Darrach, who also owns the four-year-old daughter of Pang Shui.

Bonmati [$2.10] delivered MacPherson his second victory in the $12,080 Atlantic Sires Stakes division for three-year-old trotting fillies. The Blayne White trainee controlled every fraction and drew away by 11-and-a-half lengths in 2:03.2 for owner Blayne White of South Pinette.

Little Louis extended his winning streak to seven races with a front-end triumph in the $12,480 Atlantic Sires Stakes division for three-year-old trotting colts. MacPherson guided the Kuri White trainee through fractions of 29.4, 1:00.2 and 1:30.2 before stopping the clock in 1:59.2. Hoponarocket (Mike McGuigan) finished three lengths back in second with Howmac Prime Time (Campbell) third. Little Louis [$2.10] is owned by East Coast Captains of Cornwall.

MacPherson also visited the winner’s circle with Fitness First [$3.40] in 1:55.1 for his own stable and owner Jim Gorman of South Melville. The five-win night was completed in the finale as Hosskat [$22.60] rallied to prevail in 1:57.4 for trainer Lenny Myers and owners Matt and Liam Myers of Stratford.

Stunning Speed kept his lifetime record perfect with his seventh consecutive victory in the first $12,000 Atlantic Sires Stakes division for two-year-old trotting colts. Trainer-driver Mike McGuigan moved the son of Muscle Through It to command before the half and drew away to win by four-and-three-quarter lengths in 2:00.4. Hopthroughit (Clare MacDonald) was second with Shoe Dog Speed (Paul Langille) third. Stunning Speed [$2.20] is owned by Little Pond Stables of Little Pond and The Coles Stable of Charlottetown.

The other two-year-old trotting colt division went to Muscles Dreamer [$2.90] and trainer-driver Adam Merner in 2:04.1. The son of Muscle Through It overtook the leaders approaching three-quarters and held off Manfredi (Campbell) by one-and-a-half lengths for owner Hal Bevan of Charlottetown.

Howmac Limerick [$19.50] scored the upset in the $12,500 Atlantic Sires Stakes division for two-year-old trotting fillies. Jason Hughes put the Blayne White trainee on the lead and she remained there for a 2:06.4 victory. Lacey White of South Pinette owns the daughter of E L Rocket.

Buckhead Ridge [$3.40] won the $8,000 fourth leg of the Island Oceans Trot Series for trainer Landon Campbell and owner Brady Doyle of Stratford. Marc Campbell placed the six-year-old son of Nuncio on the front and held off Fight Song (Hughes) to win in 1:57.1. Whole Nother (Colin Sheppard) finished third at odds of 94-1.

Live racing continues Saturday afternoon at 12:30 P.M. at Red Shores Charlottetown followed by a 6 P.M program the same day featuring the Atlantic Sires Stakes for two and three-year-old pacers and the Reliable Motors Richard Campbell Memorial Invitational. For more go to Redshores.ca.’

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Oakes, for Red Shores