Adam Merner joined the 1,000-driving win club as he won with a dominant Maintenance Man at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park on Saturday, Nov. 15.
The Port Morien, N.S., native pushed his career driving total to the milestone in the third race, one half of a double. He got Maintenance Man to the front in a :28.3 quarter and rated him to a :58.2 half, and the nine-year-old gelding pulled clear by 2-1/2 lengths to three-quarters in 1:28.1. Allaboutthecash (Brady Sweet) and the first-over Raising Sand (Marc Campbell) reeled him in on the far turn, but Maintenance Man repelled them to win by three lengths in 1:57.3. Allaboutthecash edged out Raising Sand for second. Merner also trains the winning son of Bettors Delight-Double Flip for Steve MacDonald of Stanhope, P.E.I. The win payout was $4.20.
Merner, who completed the double with No Mo Fear ($15.40) later on the card, now has career totals of 6,549 drives, 1,001 victories, 1,086 seconds and 1,093 thirds with purses in excess of $3.5 million and a .300 UDRS. He has been a mainstay at the P.E.I. tracks throughout his career, with the bulk of his work coming under the lights in Charlottetown, along with regular appearances at Red Shores Summerside and tracks across the Maritimes. The reinsman has put together another powerhouse campaign in 2025 with 124 wins from 727 starts for a win rate of 17.1 per cent and $575,524 in seasonal earnings. His 2025 UDRS sits at a sharp .308, marking his third straight year above the .300 mark.
Bee Two Bee refused to budge when it mattered most, turning back a field of heavyweights to capture the $5,500 Preferred 1 Pace. The contest headlined the 11-dash card, with Bee Two Bee ($5) and driver Jason Hughes seizing early control from post two and never relenting. The eight-year-old son of Sunshine Beach-Bee Fullof Steinam rolled through splits of :28.3, :57 and 1:25.4 before being challenged by Malignity (Paul Langille) nearing the final turn. House Edge Hanover (Ken Murphy) appeared late off cover, but Bee Two Bee held them both off to score in 1:54.3. Malignity missed by a half-length, with House Edge Hanover third.
Bee Two Bee is trained by Ashley Gamester for owners Donald MacRae of Vernon Bridge, P.E.I. and Blair MacLauchlan of Charlottetown, P.E.I. The stallion is now 42-for-175 lifetime with earnings of $546,327.
Racing continues next Thursday, Nov. 20 at Red Shores Charlottetown.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(With files from Red Shores)