Earl Smith notches training triple Saturday

CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – The drill sergeant had his troops in top form as the Earl Smith Stable capped off a day of intra-provincial harness racing perfection Saturday evening at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.

On the heels of winning the $41,470 Barrieau-McIsaac Memorial with the Brodie MacPhee driven Fern Hill General Saturday afternoon at Exhibition Park Raceway in Saint John, N.B., trainer Earl Smith crossed the Confederation Bridge back to his home base of Red Shores Charlottetown and scored a trio of winners to give him a perfect four-for-four on the day.

MacPhee and Smith teamed up to win race 3 of the Charlottetown card with Usurper (Sportswriter) in a 1:55.1 win followed by a race 4 victory for the same pair with Woodmere Gaelic (Stonebridge Terror) in 1:59.2, both for owner Next Generation Stable of Stratford. Smith then sent JJ Xavier (Tobago Cays) postward in race 5 and driver Mark Bradley converted a pocket-ride to victory in 1:56.1 for owner David Lund of Moncton, N.B.

Trainer Jeff Holmes had two winners on the night with Fern Hill Dynamic (Western Paradise) the best in race 1 in 1:56.1 for driver Corey MacPherson and Burn Out Hanover (Well Said) leading at every call in the race 10 Preferred 2 pace in 1:53.4 in line to Gilles Barrieau. The $3,300 top event saw Stash It Away (Driven by MacPherson) finish second ahead of Nogreatmischief (Walter Cheverie). Orwell Bay Stable holds the ownership papers of Burn Out Hanover.

Barrieau scored a triple on the program as he also won with Mc Pat (1:54.3) from his own barn and Selkirk Echo (1:57.4) for trainer Ron Matheson.

Marc Campbell also made a trio of trips to the historic winner’s circle with JK Express (1:59) for Saul Lanigan, Silverhilllightnin (1:56.3) for Stacey Lund and GA Speed Sammy (1:55.1) from the Colin Johnson barn.

Live racing shifts to Red Shores Summerside for the next week with programs every evening from Tuesday (July 12) until Saturday (July 16). Red Shores Charlottetown will hold its next live program on Thursday July 21. For more information go to Redshores.ca.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Oakes, for Red Shores