In rein to Tyler Moore for trainer/co-owner Dr. Ian Moore, Eighteen blasted to immediate command and successfully sliced out fractions of :27.4, :56.2 and 1:25 before pulling away from the first-over prompter, Pontiac Luck, and the pocket-sitting Mcapulco in a time of 1:52.2. Pontiac Luck (Doug McNair) was a dead-game second, with Mcapulco (Robert Shepherd) finishing a bang-up third.
“When he goes to the gate he’s a phenomenal racehorse,” said driver Tyler Moore. “He knows his job for sure. I’m thankful for all the owners and my dad. He’s been a career horse for me, that’s for sure.”
Dr. Ian Moore of Guelph, ON shares ownership on the four-year-old son of Cams Card Shark-Dream Of Mimi with Serge Savard of Saint-Bruno, QC and the R G McGroup Ltd of Bathurst, NB. Eighteen, who has assembled a 3-2-1 record during this year’s 15-start campaign. He’s put away close to $50,000 in earnings this season and more than $205,000 to date.
The post position draw for Saturday’s Gold Cup & Saucer will be conducted on Tuesday evening at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
Earlier on Monday afternoon fans were treated to an 11-race card which featured six divisions of the Atlantic Sires Stakes for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings.
Junebugs Baby sped to a career-best clocking of 1:55.4 in the first of two $12,160 “A” divisions, and he did so as the 4-5 favourite. Greg Sparling had his charge parked at the quarter pole in :28.1, but from there the sophomore enjoyed a two-hole trip through panels of :57.1 and 1:25.3. Sparling summoned a :29.3 closing panel from the colt, who drew clear to win by 1-1/2 lengths over First Art Down. Third prize went to Dukes Up.
The victory improved the pacer’s seasonal record to 7-1-0 from eight starts and it improved his overall record to 12-2-1 from 15 tries. The son of Western Paradise-Carols June Big is a homebred owned by trainer Fraser Turnbull of Dominion and John Turnbull, Jr. of Glace Bay, NS. The lion’s share of the purse boosted his earnings to $51,075.
Touch Of Lightning took the other division in gate-to-wire fashion in 1:55.3 for trainer/driver Earl Smith. It was the second consecutive tally for the pacer, who led the field through panels of :28.2, :58 and 1:26.3 before using a :29-second final frame to seal the deal by 9-1/2 lengths. Athletic Putnam was second best, with Lyndale Royal taking home the show dough.
The son of Articulator-Aquatic Lightning, who went 4-7-1from 14 starts during last year’s rookie campaign, improved this year’s record to 4-4-1 from 11 trips postward. He’s banked $64,477 to date for PEI partners Peter Smith, Donald Smith, Gerald Morrissey and Larry Chappell.
The matinee portion of Monday’s double header also featured four “B” divisions worth $2,500 apiece for the three-year-old pacing colts and geldings. Capturing their respective assignments were: Woodmere Fullafun(1:58.1), Oceanview Izzy (1:58.4), Hoshinosenshi (1:58.3) and Dusty Lane Buddy (1:57.2).