Sophomore stakes stars faced off in the Carl and Marg MacKenzie Memorial at Truro Raceway on Sunday, Oct. 19.

One Wicked Man was the fastest winner of the four $13,675 divisions for three-year-old pacers, taking the first colt and gelding event in 1:55.2 for trainer/driver Kenny Arsenault and owner James Perrot of Stratford, P.E.I. 

The McWicked-Alexander Valley colt took the lead from Bettim Alive (Jaycob Sweet) at the :27.3 quarter pole then set middle splits of :56.4 and 1:26 en route to the victory by three-quarters of a length over the passing lane pursuer, with Bentley (Corey MacPherson) following in third. 

A winner of his four previous stakes starts, One Wicked Man delivered as the heavy 1-9 favourite and paid $2.20 to win. He is now eight-for 19 this year on the verge of a six-figure sophomore campaign.

Phil My Beer made every pole a winning one in the second colt and gelding division as the 1-9 favourite clocked fractions of :27.4, :57.3 and 1:28.1 before hitting the wire in 1:56.1 for the father and son, driving and training duo of Marc and Landon Campbell. 

The Shanghai Phil-Hazel colt opened up 2-1/4 lengths in the stretch while Camco Lucas (Brodie MacPhee) got by Rosetown Eclipse (Corey MacPherson) in the race for place. A close runner-up in the Atlantic Breeders Crown last Sunday, he paid $2.20 to win. 

Phil My Beer has won six of his 18 seasonal starts for Prince Edward Island owners Brady Doyle of Stratford, Ryan MacLeod of Souris, Kent MacDonald of Stratford and Brent Campbell of Charlottetown. He topped the $100,000 mark in career earnings.

Marc Campbell also drove the Earl Watts-trained filly stakes winner Mindbodyandsoul, who levitated to first with a three-wide rally off tiring cover in the final turn. 

The Malicious-Mystic Eyes miss defeated 6-5 pacesetter Lady Hess (Corey MacPherson) after fractions of :28, :57.3 and 1:27.4, as she sprinted home in :28 to prevail by half a length in 1:56.2, with 1-2 favourite My Happy Place (Gilles Barrieau) following in third. 

Rebounding from a miscue in the Atlantic Breeders Crown Consolation, Mindbodyandsoul paid $14.70 for the 6-1 upset while earning her sixth win in 15 seasonal starts. The P.E.I.-owned filly is campaigned by Windemere Farms of Springvale, Beryl McNeill of Cornwall, Sterling Buchanan of Bonshaw and Jack Quinn of Charlottetown.

Elm Grove Talia and trainer/driver David Dowling won the other filly division in 1:56.3 after overhauling longshot leader Molly Malone (Darren Crowe) with a three-wide move of her own from the backfield. 

A runner-up in the Atlantic Breeders Crown, she paid $3.40 to win as the 3-5 bettors' choice. Molly Malone, who set fractions of :27.3, :57.1 and 1:26.2, finished 1-3/4 lengths behind in second with Woodmere Betcha (Corey MacPherson) completing the top three after a mid-mile challenge. 

A daughter of Stonebridge Terror out of Queens Or Better, Elm Grove Talia notched her seventh win in 18 starts for the ownership group of R. Kingsley Walsh of Albany, P.E.I., Donald Walsh of Kinkora, P.E.I., Frank Balcom of Amherst, N.S., and Shane Baglole of Cornwall, P.E.I.

Truro's weekly $2,500 Winners Over Handicap Pace went to 4-5 favourite Bettor On Than Off ($3.90), who cut the 1:55.1 mile for back-to-back victories in the top class with David Dowling aboard for trainer/owner Danny Romo. Ikes Dream (Marc Campbell) closed within one length of the six-year-old Bettors Delight-Lights Go Out gelding while Fifth Estate (Ernie Laffin) edged out Crime Boss (Kenny Parker Jr.) for the show spot.

To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Truro Raceway.

(Standardbred Canada; photo of One Wicked Man winning at Truro Raceway)