Charlottetown Driving Park: Shadow Place takes Sobey's Gold Cup & Saucer

Shadow Place gave driver Gilles Barrieau his fourth victory in the Sobey's Gold Cup & Saucer by getting up late to win this year's edition of the C$60,000 classic for open pacers at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park in Prince Edward Island, Canada.

With a steady rain falling, Always At My Place (Marc Campbell), sent off at 2-5 after a 1:51 1/5 victory in his elimination last Saturday, led through opening-half fractions of 27 1/5 and 54 3/5 with Ron Burke stablemate Sapphire City (Anthony MacDonald) settling into the pocket. Always At My Place began to open up on the lead at the half while Sapphire City began to retreat, and Crombie A (Louis-Philippe Roy) pulled first-over out of third to get around him. Crombie A's move would be tracked by Arque Hanover (Marcus Miller) and Shadow Place.

Always At My Place would go on to lead by 5 1/2 lengths at the 1:24 1/5 three-quarters, with Crombie A sitting a loose pocket. Arque Hanover remained on the outside up the backstretch, with Shadow Place still tracking him before going three-wide on the final turn.

In the stretch Always At My Place was under heavy urging, but still was clear of the field with a seemingly insurmountable lead. Shadow Place kept the faith, though, as he continued to cut into the margin and then surged by late in the going to win by a length in 1:53 2/5. Always At My Place had to settle for second, and Arque Hanover came in third.

"He kept closing in so hard and I kept working him. It's just a thrill," said Barrieau, who carries the nickname "the Maritime Magic Man," bestowed on him by long-time voice Vance Cameron. "I thought if I got a second, third, or fourth I'd be real happy. I never dreamt we'd be standing here tonight.

"This is my best one right here. The other three were favorites or close to being favorites, and this horse here wasn't really supposed to win, so it makes it that much sweeter."

The victorious 6-year-old Shadow Play gelding is co-owned by trainer Kyle Fellows and Carl Stafford. This was his 20th career victory, and he has now earned C$282,778. He was sent off at 10-1 and paid $22.00 to win.