Windemere Skye closes in on all-time pacing record

CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – Stunning Speed rewrote the track record book while Windemere Skye extended her perfect career to 24 harness racing victories Sunday afternoon during the Atlantic Breeders Crown Weekend of Champions at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.

The 14-dash program featured eight Atlantic Breeders Crown championship finals carrying $300,000 in purses. The Weekend of Champions was presented by the P.E.I. Standardbred Horse Owner’s Association.

Stunning Speed ($3.20) delivered a record-setting performance in the $25,000 two-year-old trotting colt final in race 5 for trainer-driver Mike McGuigan. The Muscle Through It-Stunning Look colt commanded the mile through fractions of 29.1, 58.4 and 1:28.2 before drawing clear by four-and-a-half lengths in 1:57.3. The clocking lowered the Charlottetown two-year-old trotting colt record by a full second from Southwind Arturo’s 1:58.3 standard set in 2021. Little Pond Stables of Little Pond and The Coles Stable of Charlottetown own Stunning Speed. Shoe Dog Speed (Driven by Paul Langille) finished second with Hopthroughit (Clare MacDonald) third.

STUNNING SPEED REPLAY

Windemere Skye ($2.10) made it 24 straight victories with a commanding score in the $50,000 three-year-old pacing filly final in race 12. Marc Campbell sent the Earl Watts trainee to the front from post 7 and carved out splits of 27.2, 56.2 and 1:25 before closing in 28 seconds for a 1:53 victory. Alwaysinfullforce (Ken Murphy) was four-and-a-quarter lengths back in second with Mattnificent Rose (Langille) third. Windemere Farms of Springvale and Matt Burke of Stratford own the Somewhere Fancy-Howmac Missy filly, now unbeaten in 12 starts this season after a perfect 12-race rookie campaign. She now sits just four races shy of the all-time pacing win streak of 28 straight wins co-held by Cam Fella and Firms Phantom.

WINDEMERE SKYE REPLAY

Woodmere Rock It ($2.30) continued his undefeated season in the $50,000 two-year-old pacing colt final in race 10 to his 10th straight. Gilles Barrieau guided the Jamie Smith trained son of Tobago Cays-Musette Mindale through fractions of 27.4, 56.4 and 1:25.1 before stopping the clock in 1:54.2, seven-and-three-quarter lengths ahead of Woodmere Dougal (Corey MacPherson). Woodmere Fergus (Jason Hughes) completed the triactor. TheStable WoodmereRock It of Guelph, Ont., owns the Woodmere Farms bred gelding.

The $50,000 two-year-old pacing filly final in race 8 went to Starship Daisy ($7.40) in 1:57.2 for Murphy and trainer Watts. The Somewhere Fancy-Romance In Camelot filly prevailed by a quarter-length over Lady Of Malice (Langille), with Ys Fancy Speed (Barrieau) third. Francis Poirier of Havre-aux-Maisons, Que., owns Starship Daisy. The victory helped Watts finish the afternoon with a training double.

Zero Two Sixty ($2.90) capped the championship action in the $50,000 three-year-old pacing colt final in race 14. Murphy worked the Sifroi Melanson trainee into contention from post 7 before wearing down pacesetter Shekhan (Redmond Doucet) by three-quarters of a length in 1:53.2. Smilin With Lou (Adam Merner) was third. Ultimate Stable of Greater Lakeburn, N.B., owns the Tobago Cays-J J Mistress gelding.

McGuigan also captured the $25,000 two-year-old trotting filly final in race 2 with Rockin Through It ($3.90). The Muscle Through It-Rockadero filly led throughout in 2:01.3, winning by seven lengths over Early Speed (Myles Heffernan Sr.) and Howmac Limerick (Hughes). Josh MacDonald of Little Pond and The Coles Stable own the filly, who completed McGuigan’s training and driving double.

Little Louis ($2.10) dominated the $25,000 three-year-old trotting colt final in race 4 for driver MacPherson and trainer Kuri White. The East Coast Captains of Cornwall owned and bred son of E L Rocket-Go With Her won by eight-and-a-quarter lengths in 1:57.1. Hoponarocket (McGuigan) finished second with Howmac Prime Time (Campbell) third.

Emberlees Rocket ($10) upset the $25,000 three-year-old trotting filly final in race 7 for Campbell and trainer John Clarey. The E L Rocket-Malahide filly took command before the three-quarter pole and won by two-and-three-quarter lengths in 2:01 over Bonmati (MacPherson), with Dusty Lane Margo (Hughes) third. Mike Clarey of Montague owns and bred Emberlees Rocket.

Mappos Lion ($4.50) supplied the fastest mile of the afternoon in the $6,900 Preferred Pace in race 13. Ryan Desroche steered the Taylor Doyle trainee to a 1:50.3 victory with a sizzling 26.3 final quarter, defeating Ammo (Campbell) by one-and-three-quarter lengths. Fast Louie (Murphy) was third. Hailee Currie of Rocky Point and Carol Campbell of Baddeck, N.S., own the nine-year-old Sunshine Beach gelding.

Campbell had four driving victories, also winning with Western Artist ($21) in 1:57.1 for trainer Lenny Myers and owner Liam Myers of Stratford and Dj Mustang ($3.60) in 1:56 for trainer Saul Lanigan. Dj Mustang is owned by Saul and Peter Lanigan of Cambridge, Shane Esson of Moncton, N.B., and Brady Doyle of Stratford.

Murphy completed a driving triple with Bettor Than Spring ($4.80) in 1:54.1 for trainer Tessa MacKinnon and owner Perry Burke of Grosse-Ile, Que.

A touching moment after race 6 when drivers, family, friends and members of the horse racing community formed the traditional memorial horseshoe in honor of longtime horseman Alex MacPhee. The ceremony included his horse Freight Air accompanied by family friend and trainer Neil Bambrick.

Live racing continues Monday at Red Shores Summerside with a 6 P.M. post time. For more go to Redshores.ca.

To view Sunday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results – Charlottetown Driving Park.

by Nicholas Oakes, for Red Shores