Screen Test stomps in Charlottetown

CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – Screen Test came swinging for the front right off the bat and was unheeded at every call in the New Year's Eve harness racing feature Thursday evening at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.

Corey MacPherson was at the lines of the Ron Gass trainee as the pacer struck the lead at the opening quarter of 29.1 in the $2,900 featured pace. Burn Out Hanover (Driven by Gilles Barrieau) sat in the two-hole and watched the heavily favoured Screen Test strike three-quarters in 1:28.3 before closing out the mile in 1:56.4. Burn Out Hanover held second while Hunger Pangs (David Dowling) was third. The Kickin Horse Stable of York holds the ownership papers of Screen Test along with William Andrew of Calgary.

Gass had a pair of training wins on the card with the other coming courtesy of a Adam Merner driving quadruple. Gass and Merner scored in race 11 of the evening with a 1:57.2 win for owner Kyla MacDonald of Stanhope. Merner also won with Whims Drop Off (2:00.1) for trainer Kyle Wilkie and Bad Silver (2:01) from the Taylor Doyle stable.

The $2,850 Fillies and Mares Open pace gave Merner his other victory as Dreamfair Zenfire took control of the lead in the stretch drive to win in 1:58.3 for trainer Bo Ford.

Paythelinebluechip was upset bound in the race 7 Julep Hanover Memorial Pace getting up for a 23-1 victory with Dowling in the bike for trainer Jay Noye stopping the clock in 1:59.2.

Screen Test

Driver Kenny Arsenault celebrated a driving triple winning with Lock Her Up (2:00.1) from his own stable, Traces Of Purple (1:58.3) at 10-1 odds from the Robert Phillips barn and in the 2020 finale with newcomer Chocolate Swirl (1:57.1) for conditioner Jennifer Doyle.

Total wager was $163,659. Live racing continues Tuesday, Jan. 5 with a 6 P.M. start time. For more information go to Redshores.ca.

By Nicholas Oakes For Red Shores