Big Bad Bruiser capitalized on a front-end tussle on his way to the winner’s circle in the P.E.I. Colt Stakes Graduate Series final for male pacers as part of a Saturday evening five-bagger for driver Adam Merner at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park. 

In the $9,500 P.E.I. Colt Stakes Graduate final, presented by Kays Wholesale and the P.E.I. Standardbred Breeder’s Association, Betterthanbutter (Colin Sheppard) demand the lead while parking out race favourite Middleton Terror (David Dowling) through fractions of :28.1, :56.2 and 1:25.2 while Big Bad Bruiser (Adam Merner) sat in the two-hole at 12-1 odds. Betterthanbutter gave way in the final quarter with Big Bad Bruiser driving by for a 1:55.2 victory over a closing Pictonian I Am (Ken Murphy) and Middleton Terror, who hung on for third to complete a healthy $1,075 triactor ticket. Neil Bambrick of Charlottetown owns and trains the winning son of Rollwithitharry. 

Merner grabbed five wins on the night including the $3,500 Fillies and Mares Preferred with Dreamfair Zenfire in a 1:54.4 mile as part of a training double for Brent Campbell.

Trainer Melissa Rennie supplied the other Merner driven victories with a triple from her barn consisting of Kataparka (1:55.3), Rose Run Quest (1:55.1) and Hemingway (1:57.3). 

Jason Hughes continued his driving dominance at the capital oval as he scored three wins, including the Saul Lanigan-trained Smart Official (1:55.3) and his own trainees Phil Dorleans (1:56.1) in the opener and Spicey P (1:56.1) in the race 14 finale. 

Stash It Away surged home for a Preferred Pace victory in 1:54.4 with Ken Murphy in the bike in the $3,600 event for trainer Kevin MacLean and owner Reg MacPherson of Stratford, P.E.I. Rollwithhottytoddy (Myles Heffernan Sr.) was second ahead of Blood Money (Gilles Barrieau). 

Live racing continues on Tuesday evening at 6 p.m. at Red Shores Summerside.

To view Saturday's harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.

(Red Shores)