Punching their tickets

R Es Shabla, Royaltywestho, Sock It Away, Half Cut win Maritime Breeder’s elimination races

R Es Shabla captured the fastest filly split as the top sophomores in Atlantic Canada raced Saturday at Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park.

A three-year-old daughter of Pang Shui, R Es Shabla won in 1:56.3 for trainer-driver Mike McGuigan and owner Lloyd Parsons of Carmanville, N.L., in Maritime Breeder’s elimination action.

Chocolate Terror (Darren Crowe) rallied for second, followed by Woodmere Ceilidh (Clare MacDonald) third and Woodmere Chella (Barrieau) completing the superfecta to earn her spot in next week’s Maritime Breeder’s final.

There were a pair of $3,000 eliminations held for both the threeyear-old pacing colts and the three-year-old pacing fillies.

Royaltywestho captured the other filly split in 1:57.2. Walter Cheverie was at the lines of the daughter of Westwardho Hanover for co-owner and trainer Joseph Baxter and co-owner Gregory Francis, both of Windsor, N.S. Second went to Saulsbrook Coral (David Dowling) with Woodmere Saphire (Barrieau) third and Kahlua Morning (Jason Hughes) securing the final spot in the final.

A pair of colts kept their undefeated seasons going in their eliminations.

Sock It Away won in 1:56.1 with Marc Campbell at the lines for win number 1,998 of his driving career. The Pang Shui colt is trained by Kevin MacLean for owner Reg MacPherson of Stratford. The Colonel (Barrieau) finished second with Dustylanewesty (MacDonald) finishing third and Dowahs Boy (Adam Merner) advancing to Saturday’s final with a fourth-place finish.

Half Cut captured the other elimination for the team of driver Mark Bradley, trainer Tom Weatherbie and owners Kyle Gardiner and Mike Currie of Cardigan, Joseph Gardiner of Mount Stewart and Jerry MacKinnon of St. Peters Bay.

The Stonebridge Terror pacer stopped the clock in 1:56.2 over Woodmere Ideal Art (Hughes), Tobins Lightning (Kenny Arsenault) and Rocking Party (Danny Romo), who all advance to the final.Czar Seelster visited the winner’s circle in the $2,500 preferred pace in 1:55.1 with trainer Todd Weatherbee in the bike for owner Tammy Johnston of Vernon Bridge. Ashes To Ashes (Barrieau) had his win streak snapped to finish second while Mr Irresistible (Hughes) was third.