Neither a six-week absence nor the assigned outside post could dampen the razor-sharp form of Mercedes, who won his third straight top-level dash at Century Mile in the $16,000 Preferred Handicap Pace over a muddy track on Sunday, Jan. 11.

Brandon Campbell blasted the six-year-old out from post seven, dropping him into the pocket behind inside starter Outlaw Game On (Logan Gillis) and ahead of Shark Week (Mike Hennessy), who was on the left line. The field travelled single file through opening fractions of :29 and :57.4. 

Caviart Scotland (Phil Giesbrecht) shifted out from fourth approaching the last turn, prompting Mercedes to pocket pop and put the screws to Outlaw Game On to three-quarters in 1:27.2. Mercedes edged ahead of the pacesetter in the last eighth of a mile and resisted Outlaw Game On’s renewed efforts in deep-stretch to win by a half-length in 1:55.3. Shark Week finished third.

Mercedes, a winner of five Preferreds in his last six starts, is now 22-for-43 lifetime with earnings of $158,496 for Raymond Henry of Calgary, Alta. He earned a lifetime mark of 1:51.1 on Nov. 15, which kicked off his current three-race win streak. Campbell trains the intact son of All Bets Off-Skade. The win price was $3.50.

To view Sunday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Century Mile.

(Standardbred Canada)