Mickey Hanover marched to the front in Trial 2 of this year’s Sobey’s Gold Cup & Saucer, and he didn’t look back en route to a track record-setting performance Monday evening at the Charlottetown Driving Park.

The six-year-old son of The Panderosa-Michelles Luck wired up the competition in an eye-catching clocking of 1:50.4 for the duo of driver Marc Campbell and trainer Rene Allard. The performance erased Eighteen’s track record of 1:51 for older pacing horses, and it matched the all-age track record established by the gelded Escape The News in 2013. The clocking also matched Tigerama’s Canadian record for older pacing horses.

Campbell rolled Mickey Hanover to the lead from Post 4 and together they whacked out wild fractions of :26.2, :54.2 and 1:22.4 before using a :28-second kicker to win by 2-3/4 lengths over race favourite Take It Back Terry. Scott Rocks rallied from last to finish third, while Wazzup Wazzup recovered from a break in the backstretch to grab a fourth-place finish and spot in Saturday’s final.

Quebec partners Allard Racing Inc of Saint-Esprit and Yves Sarrazin of La Presentation share ownership with Quebec native Dan Dube of Millstone, New Jersey. The pacer improved this year’s record to 4-1-0 from eight starts with the win. The 26-time winner pushed his lifetime earnings to $360,194 with the victory.

The post position draw for Saturday’s Sobey’s Gold Cup & Saucer will take place Tuesday evening at the Charlottetown Driving Park.

"It's pretty special,” said trainer Rene Allard when asked about the victory. “Every year it seems like a lot of disappointment, but it's not an easy race to win. We keep getting closer and closer. I knew the horse was feeling really good and he came to the Island real sharp so I liked his chances. He was awesome."

"I just got to the front, I tried to get him a little breather in there and Rene [trainer Allard] said he may try and get his own breather in going to the three-quarters,” said driver Marc Campbell. “I just made sure I kept him alive and didn't get caught sleeping.

On the undercard, Say It Again Sam, in line to trainer/driver Jason Hughes, extended his win streak 10-in-a-row after converting off a perfect two-hole ride. He staged the minor upset over the race favourite, Im Drinkin Doubles, in 1:57.3.

Campbell had a driving double, winning with Yankee No More in 1:57.3 earlier on in the card. Teddys Place managed to string together a pair of Old Home Week victories winning Race 11 in 1:57.4 for Mike Stevenson.

(With files from CDP)

To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Charlottetown Driving Park.