Mcapulco turned back a challenge from slight favourite Panmunjom and opened up a four and a half length lead on his rivals en route to victory in the $6,500 Milton Downey Memorial Invitational Pace on Friday at Exhibition Park Raceway.

Taking the lead off the gate from post one, Mcapulco and driver Gilles Barrieau posted a :28.1 opening quarter before coming under attack by the Gold Cup & Saucer Consolation winner. Panmunjom and Garry MacDonald advanced first up from third and applied pressure to the leader as they moved by the :57.2 half-mile marker. However, Mcapulco refused to surrender and pressed on to the 1:26.3 three-quarters mark before extending his lead to a comfortable margin down the stretch. Mcapulco stopped the clock in 1:56.3 with 2011 Milton Downey Memorial champions Joseph Michael and Todd Trites finishing second off a pocket trip at odds of 14-1 ahead of Panmunjom.

Mcapulco paid $4.70 to win. Jackie Matheson trains and Charlottetown's Patrick Morris owns the seven-year-old McArdle son, who has won nine of his 27 races this year. Among his accomplishments this season are consecutive wins during the month of July in the Walter Dale Memorial Pace, Governor's Plate elimination and final, and Exhibition Cup.

The victory marked the 27th time the pacer has visited the winner's circle in his career and the lion's share of the purse pushed his bankroll to $360,716.

Earlier on the card, 6-1 upsetter Riccaras Sun romped to a seven length score in the $2,000 Real Bond Memorial Pace with Marc Campbell in the sulky for trainer Trevor Hicken and owner Kenneth MacInnis of Charlottetown. The seven-year-old Allamerican Native gelding notched his third straight win in seven seasonal starts. The time of the mile was 1:58.1.

To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Exhibition Park Raceway.