Fern Hill General commanding in $41,470 Barrieau-McIsaac

Fern Hill General (Malicious) staked his claim as Atlantic Canada’s top pacer with a wire-to-wire harness racing victory in the $41,470 Barrieau-McIsaac Final on Saturday (Jul. 9) at Exhibition Park Raceway.

The gelding utilized his pylon positioning to fend off Alldawaytocardigan for front-end control going into the first turn. Fern Hill General hit the quarter in :28.1 and faced a second clash with Alldawaytocardigan, who moved first-up from third, approaching the half in :58.2.

Fern Hill General quickened to three-quarters in 1:28.1 and had neutralized that rival by the final turn. Brodie MacPhee had to give minimal encouragement to Fern Hill General until entering the lane, when the driver provided light urging before raising his fist in triumph as his charge sailed across the line a winner in 1:57.2.

Alldawaytocardigan fought on for place. Soul Assassin (David Dowling) rallied for show. The winner was a lukewarm favourite at 9/5.

The win was Fern Hill General’s 10th lifetime in 20 tries. Peter Smith of Stratford and Gerald Morrissey of Charlottetown own the Earl Smith-trained gelding with $75,163 in his bank to date.

The Barrieau-McIsaac is for male three-year-old pacers foaled in Atlantic Canada (in the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, or Prince Edward Island) and are Canadian-owned or -sired.

Exhibition Park will go dark until Saturday, Sep. 3.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink