Sweet Stanfield win for Aspoonfulofsugar

Aspoonfulofsugar got back on track on Friday at Truro Raceway after two Atlantic Sires Stakes defeats to begin the harness racing season.

The three-year-old daughter of Rollwithitharry earned her first win as a three-year-old in the first division of the $25,250 Frank and Beth Stanfield Memorial in a lifetime-best clocking.

Sent off at 9/5 from post three, Walter Cheverie tucked the filly in behind favourite Elm Grove Penney (Gilles Barrieau), who had a clear path to the lead with rail-sitter Terrormasue (Mary Macdonald) off stride at the start. Aspoonfulofsugar was shuffled to third as Plain Jane (Marc Campbell) charged to the front at the quarter mile marker in :27.2.

Elm Grove Penney pulled to the outside and disputed the lead going to the half in :55.4, but she backed through the field after a brief spell first-over. Somebodys Me (Jason Hughes) swung three-wide around her and dashed to the lead with Aspoonfulofsugar trapped behind a tiring Plain Jane. Cheverie found a seam and escaped the blind switch with Aspoonfulofsugar just after three-quarters in 1:25.3.

Aspoonfulofsugar dashed into open space, rolled by Somebodys Me, and sprinted home to a four-length victory in 1:55.1. Somebodys Me finished second over Havarti (Paul Langille), who re-fired after slowing on the final turn.

ASPOONFULLOFSUGAR REPLAY

Asponfullofsugar was three fifths of a second off setting her second track record at Truro in that win, her fifth lifetime in 10 starts. She has cashed $42,909 to date under the guidance of trainer Joseph Baxter and holds the best time for a two-year-old pacing filly in the track’s history – a 1:56.1 mile set on Oct. 18, 2020. Jennifer Baxter of Windsor, Matthew Williams of Newport Station, and Cam Macphee of Charlottetown own the filly.

Outrageous Song’s second quarter give-and-go in the other division turned into the race-winning move for the three-year-old Sportswriter filly.

She leveraged her inside start to gain early front-end control for Gilles Barrieau, but a determined Woodmere Stella (Brodie Macphee) marched forward on the outside throughout the :28.1 first panel and landed on the front end. Barrieau refused to follow a helmet and promptly urged Outrageous Song back to the lead.

Outrageous song paced the middle stations in :58.4 and 1:28.4. Barrieau hurried her around the final turn as he looked for her to put the race away. Woodmere Stella (Macphee) offered a late charge, but there was never any threat to Outrageous Song, who earned her fifth win of the season in 1:57.4.

Woodmere Stella finished second over a late-closing Emmy Lou Hayes (Hughes), who took third.

OUTRAGEOUS SONG REPLAY

Outrageous Song paid $3.10 to win. The Ronald Matheson trainee has recorded all five career wins in 2021 after a dry rookie season. She has earned $17,943 for owner and breeder Paul Holmes of Warren Grove.

The Frank And Beth Stanfield Memorial is an annual stake open to three-year-old pacing fillies.

Truro also hosted two-year-old pacing colts in a pair of Atlantic Sires Stakes (AtSS) A second round contests on the card.

Fern Hill General (Macphee) made a backstretch brush and led for the remainder to win the second split in 1:55.1 and create a clear lead in the division standings. The son of Malicious (PE) is trained by Allan Earl Smith for Peter Smith of Stratford and Gerald Morrissey of Vernon River. Fern Hill General is now two-for-two in his career, both AtSS contests.

FERN HILL GENERAL REPLAY

Alldawaytocardigan shocked bettors by going wire-to-wire in the second division for a 1:59.1 maiden-breaking score at 25-1. Myles Heffernan trains and drives the Tobago Cays (PE) gelding, who finished fifth on debut in the first round, for Jackie Heffernan of Glace Bay.

ALLDAWAYTOCARDIGAN REPLAY

Fern Hill General now tops the AtSS standings for two-year-old colt pacers with 12 points. St Charlesfireball remains close with 10 after his second-place finish on Friday. Alldawaytocardigan moves up the standings from 10th to fourth.

Zendayacougarbeach, a two-year-old Cougar Hall (PE) colt, won the sole AtSS B division in 2:00.2. Dave Kelly trains and drove for Jaunita and Alan Macleod of Brackley.

Truro Raceway continues with AtSS action on Saturday, Jul. 17 with two divisions for three-year-old pacing colts. The 11-race card also contains two Atlantic Aged Pacing Mares Series dashes and the Lindsay Construction Cup Invitational. First post will be at 4:00 p.m. ADT.

For full race results, click here.

For full AtSS standings, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink